The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program that allows property owners to purchase insurance protection against losses from flooding. This insurance is designed to provide an alternative to costly, taxpayer-funded disaster assistance. Congress established the NFIP with the passage of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 that provides the NFIP authority and guidelines. All changes since 1968 have been made as amendments to this act. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers the NFIP. Participation in the NFIP is based on an agreement between local participating communities and the federal government. The community agrees to implement and enforce floodplain measures (ordinances and laws) to reduce future flood damage to new construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas; the federal government will make flood insurance available within the community as financial protection against future flood losses. In 1981, FEMA initiated efforts to once again involve the private-sector insurance industry in the NFIP. A cooperative effort between FEMA and insurance company representatives led to the creation of the Write Your Own (WYO) Program in July 1983. The WYO Companies issue and service federally backed Standard Flood Insurance Policies under their own names, collect premiums, and handle and pay claims. FEMA pays the WYO Companies a fee for these services. In August 1983, FEMA extended an invitation to all licensed property and casualty companies to participate in the WYO Program for fiscal year 1984. The NFIP now has two programs-the NFIP Direct Program and the WYO Program. 1) NFIP Direct Program The program that deals with the issuing and servicing of flood insurance policies, and the handling of resultant claims, directly by the federal government is known as the NFIP Direct Program. The NFIP Servicing Agent assists and advises agents and adjusters who handle Direct Program policies. The NFIP Servicing Agent also manages the Group Flood Insurance Policy Program and the policies for buildings that are identified as Severe Repetitive Loss Properties. 2) WYO Program The WYO Program now accounts for approximately 90 percent of all flood policies. The NFIP Bureau and Statistical Agent assist and advise the WYO Companies. However, this does not diminish the authority of the WYO Company or relieve the company of its obligations. The WYO Company still collects the premium, issues the policy, and provides adjustment and payment for claims. In addition to providing flood insurance for property, the NFIP is actively engaged in the evaluation of existing and potential flood hazards and their long-term reduction. Accordingly, various zones of flooding probability and severity have been established. Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are produced to show the projected elevation to which flooding is likely to occur in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Community officials are responsible for issuing building permits and must keep the FIRM and make the information available. In some instances, the local agent may have the maps available.

This Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Handbook is designed to teach communities how to develop an effective juvenile firesetter intervention program. The chapters of this Handbook can be viewed as the six building blocks essential to construct a successful program. The cornerstone of the blueprint is understanding the personality profiles of juvenile firesetters and their families. The next step is identifying at-risk youth and assessing the likelihood that they will become involved in future firesetting incidents. The identification of the three levels of firesetting risk-little, definite, and extreme-leads to specific types of intervention, including evaluation, education, referral, and follow up. These are the critical components of a juvenile firesetter program To provide a complete complement of services to juvenile firesetters and their families, the juvenile firesetter program must be part of a community network. This network consists of a continuum of care designed to provide a range of intervention services, including prevention, immediate treatment, and graduated sanctions to juvenile firesetters and their families. Finally, there is a specific set of programmatic tasks that will ensure the delivery of swift and effective intervention to at-risk youth and their families. A planned an coordinated effort on the part of the fire service and human service organizations is the best way to reduce juvenile involvement in firesetting and arson and to protect and preserve lives and property in our communities.

This manual, part of the new Building Infrastructure Protection Series published by the United States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) Infrastructure Protection and Disaster Management Division (IDD), serves to advance high performance and integrated design for buildings and infrastructure. This manual was prepared as a component of the S&T program for infrastructure protection and disaster management; the overall goal of this program is to enhance the blast and chemical, biological, and radiological (CBR) resistance of our Nation's buildings and infrastructure to meet specific performance requirements at the highest possible level. One of the objectives of this manual is to provide the tools and guidance to reduce physical damage to structural and nonstructural components of buildings and related infrastructure and to reduce resulting casualties caused by conventional bomb attacks and attacks using CBR agents. Although the material and the risk assessment methodology in this manual can be applied to most building types, it is intended to assist with the design and management of facilities in eight designated sectors outlined in the DHS 2009 National Infrastructure Protection Plan (the NIPP): Banking and Finance, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Government Facilities, Healthcare and Public Health, Information Technology, and Postal and Shipping. The purpose of this manual is to provide guidance to designers and decision makers in these sectors, to building professionals working for public and private institutions, and to first responder communities. It presents tools to help assess the performance of buildings and infrastructure against terrorist threats and to rank recommended protective measures. A primary objective of this manual is the establishment of a common framework of terminology to facilitate the transfer of this information. For example, a basis for design is established by identifying the threat or hazard to which a building may be vulnerable. Within the military, intelligence, and law enforcement communities, the term "threat" is typically used to describe the potential threat elements (personnel) and their tactics for creating terrorism or manmade disasters. Within FEMA and other civil agencies, the term "hazard" is used in several different contexts. "Natural" hazard typically refers to a natural event, such as a flood, wind, or seismic event. "Human-caused" (or manmade) hazards are "technological" hazards and "terrorism." These are distinct from natural hazards, primarily, in that they originate from human activity. Furthermore, "technological" hazards are generally assumed to be accidental, in that their consequences are unintended. For the sake of simplicity, this manual uses the terms "threat" to describe terrorism or intentional attacks and "hazard" to describe accidental manmade or technological hazards. Another objective of this manual is the transfer of design concepts that have been in use by DHS these include concepts of the Interagency Security Committee (ISC) Standards and Best Practices, the General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the U.S. Department of State (DOS), U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC), and the military services] to commercial practice. Several valuable risk assessment methodologies are used by both the public and private sectors; however, this manual focuses on the methodology described in FEMA 452, Risk Assessment: A How-To Guide to Mitigate Potential Terrorist Attacks (2005), which has been used extensively by Federal agencies, along with State and local governments and the private sector. This manual presents techniques that can be implemented incrementally over time to increase resiliency as well as decrease the vulnerability of a building to hazards and terrorist threats.

Firefighters, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and other emergency responders face many dangers daily from exposure to smoke, deadly temperatures, and stress to issues surrounding personal protective equipment (PPE), vehicle safety, and personal health. Although publicized firefighter fatalities are associated more often with burns and smoke inhalation, cardiovascular events, such as sudden cardiac death, account for the largest number of nonincident firefighter fatalities. Both the United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) have been tracking firefighter fatalities since 1977. According to NFPA statistics, the number of sudden cardiac deaths has averaged between 40 and 50 deaths per year since the early 1990s. USFA statistics show that firefighters, as a group, are more likely than other American workers to die of a heart attack while on duty (USFA, 2002). Additional pertinent findings in the NFPA's 2005 U.S. Firefighter Fatalities Due to Sudden Cardiac Death, 1995-2004 include: Four hundred and forty firefighters out of 1,006 (or 43.7 percent) who died on the job experienced sudden cardiac death, typically triggered by stress or exertion; Fifty percent of all volunteer firefighter deaths and 39-percent of career firefighter deaths resulted from a heart attack; Ninety-seven percent of the victims had at least a 50-percent arterial blockage; Seventy-five percent of the firefighters who died of a heart attack were working with known or detectable heart conditions or risk factors, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. While sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of death among firefighters, other factors affecting firefighters' health, wellness, and safety result in multiple deaths and injuries each and every year. Through the collection of information on firefighter deaths, the USFA has established goals to reduce loss of life among firefighters (USFA, 2006). In order to achieve this goal, emphasis must be placed on reducing the risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease as well as on the mitigation of other issues affecting the health and safety of the Nation's firefighters. As part of another effort to determine the specific issues affecting firefighter health and wellness, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Foundation developed a questionnaire to determine personal health, well-being, and safety practices among firefighters. A summary of findings from this study was shared with the NVFC and USFA for use in this project. The questionnaire was distributed to a study population of 364 firefighters, of which 149 were career firefighters, 165 were volunteers, and 50 indicated they were both volunteer and career. Results from the questionnaire revealed several trends in this sample firefighter population; however, the study population was not large enough to generalize these trends for all firefighters. Results from the NVFC Foundation's questionnaire are presented here. Based on these findings, it is clear that a structured personal health and fitness program, as well as safe operations to, from, and while at emergency scenes, become critical to firefighters' safety, well-being, and survival. As a result, we present this document on emergent health and safety issues for the volunteer fire and emergency services.

The care of the sick and injured on wildland fire incidents has expanded over the last 30 years. The mission of Medical Units on wildland fire incidents has evolved into a complex service which provides: (1) stabilization and emergency medical treatment of incident personnel, and (2) occupational health and preventative measures for incident personnel to remain safe and healthy. Wildland firefighting operations require a unique array of services due to the remoteness, terrain, and complexity of utilizing multiple agencies. Medical support is essential because of the inherent risks and exposures associated with these events. The issues of standard of care and legal licensure of providers come into play when emergency medical providers from other jurisdictions cross state lines or other geopolitical boundaries to provide medical care. These situations are further complicated in areas where medical control is sometimes nonexistent or the capabilities of nearby medical facilities may be limited, including the variability of local emergency medical services agency capacities. This document introduces stakeholders to the minimum standards developed by the Incident Emergency Medical Task Group (IEMTG) when a Medical Unit has been established by a National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) member agency. This document is intended to provide direction regarding medical personnel and equipment assigned to the Medical Unit. The IEMTG recognizes the National EMS Scope of Practice Model as the baseline standard for emergency medical service providers. Therefore, a key component of the minimum standards addresses the recognition of local, state, federal, and tribal jurisdictional authorities and the integration of medical services. Overall, the minimum standards seek to ensure that incident personnel receive quality, timely medical care on wildland fire incidents, which often occur in remote areas.

Our prayers are with the families and friends, the passengers and crew members aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370. The Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been missing for well over a week now. With each passing day, the mystery deepens as analysts, governments and global citizens at large try to decipher what happened to the ill-fated flight. It disappeared into thin air, as if by magic, without leaving a trace; reportedly, the Malaysian Air Force did not pick up any data from the missing plane as it flew across the country's airspace. Two weeks into the mystery, families and friends of the passengers and crew members aboard Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 continue to wait patiently as the coordinated search develops new twists every day. At the moment, the only sure thing in all this is that the plane is not in the air; it either crashed and its debris can't be recovered or landed in an undisclosed location after having flown under the radar for several hours. As the mystery unravels, we will keep you posted on the latest developments as well as analyzing the most talked about theories that have been put forward.

This report, America at Risk, builds on the meetings of America Burning, Recommissioned, and is based on statements, discussions and recommendations that were issued on May 3rd by the Commission as the "Principal Findings and Recommendations." One hundred years ago, American cities faced a devastating challenge from the threat of urban fires. Whole cities had become the victims of these events. Entire neighborhoods lived with the very real threat that an ignited fire would take everything, including their lives. Today, the threat of fires is still with us. But we have done a lot to address the risk, minimize the incidence and severity of losses, and prevent fires from spreading. Our states and localities have an improving system of codes and standards; most of us are aware of the risks; our communities have everyday heroes who provide the first response to emergency calls; some of our homes and buildings have alarms or sprinkler systems; and our water distribution system for fire suppression stretches further than many imagined in 1900. We have accomplished a lot, but we have much more to do. Our community fire departments and firefighters are at the vanguard of the long-term effort to address our fire risks. Not only are they the first responders to fire and other natural and man-made disasters, but also they have been strong advocates of effective codes and standards; they visited our schools and neighborhoods with educational material on fire risks, and they have put their lives on the line countless times. They will continue to do so. There is ample proof that the word hero is a correct attribute of our Nation's firefighters. As this report very clearly indicates, the success of America's fire services over the past 100 years is instructive for the strength and sustainability of America's communities for the next 100 years as well. Today, we must not only continue and reinvigorate our successes, but also expand them to include the natural and man-made threats that each of our counties, cities, towns and villages face every day - floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, hazardous material spills, highway accidents, acts of terrorism, and so much more. As the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Project Impact: Building Disaster Resistant Communities has shown, community-based partnerships among local government, public safety services, businesses and residents will provide us the best set of priorities and implementation strategies, as well as the longest lasting commitments with respect to disaster prevention. That is why FEMA and national fire service organizations have formed a Project Impact partnership to support communities' efforts to become disaster resistant. Project Impact depends on our first responders, our neighborhood fire departments, and without them, our communities would all be more vulnerable to disaster losses.

The objectives of this guide are to: Define and standardize national interagency operating procedures at large airtanker bases to ensure safe and efficient operations; Support fire policy through interagency coordination; Facilitate the exchange of personnel from all wildland fire suppression agencies during periods of high fire activity through standardization; Provide a common, interagency approach in the State, Federal, and Tribal Government's contract related responsibilities; Provide common forms, checklists, orientations outlines, and special instructions for both contractor employees (retardant supplier personnel, pilots, mechanics) and government employees at airtanker bases; Provide a framework, which allows each airtanker base to provide a local base supplement with site specific guidance.

In 1973, the presidentially appointed National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control published America Burning, its landmark report on the nation's fire problem. The report presented 90 recommendations for a fire-safe America. For the past 15 years, America Burning has served as a road map, guiding the fire service and the federal fire programs toward the goal of improving fire safety in the United States. The original America Burning report made 90 recommendations in 18 chapters in the following general subject areas: the nation's fire problem; the fire services; fire and the built environment; fire and the rural wildlands environment; fire prevention; and a program for the future. While much of the report and its recommendations remained valid and relevant, it was time to take a second look at America Burning and re-examine the progress made toward the goals and objectives stated in the report. Perhaps more importantly, it was time to make new recommendations that would reflect the changes in our society and environment since 1973, but still move toward a more fire-safe America. As a result, the conference on 'America Burning Revisited" was convened in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., from November 30 to December 2, 1987. "America Burning Revisited" had a threefold purpose. First, conference participants were to reach a consensus about the status of, and trends in, America's fire problem. Second, they were to revisit America Burning by reviewing and evaluating the progress toward the report's 90 recommendations. Finally, the conference participants were to recommend guidelines for local, state and federal efforts to reduce the life and property loss from fire. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) planned to use the results of this conference as the basis for establishing its program priorities for future activities. This meant that the fire protection leaders participating in "America Burning Revisited" were to have the opportunity to map out the future course of fire safety in this country.

The purpose of this U.S. Fire Administration special report is to document the problem of older chil-dren who set fires resulting in serious or potentially serious consequences. The report also examines the factors that commonly are associated with intentional firesetting by teenagers and discusses a number of community programs that intervene to control arson. Historically, the term "juvenile firesetting" has been viewed as a "curious" kids' problem. Fires set by youngsters playing with matches and lighters tend to be categorized as "accidental" or "children playing." However, juvenile firesetting also includes the deliberate destruction of property by juveniles through fire, which sometimes results in casualties. This is an increasingly serious problem in most U.S. cities. Information from a 10-year U.S. Fire Administration project of direct technical assistance to over 60 jurisdictions verifies the high rate of juvenile-set fires. This report focuses on adolescent firesetters between 14 and 18 years of age. Several case studies are presented to demonstrate the impact of these arson fires and to outline the family circumstances of the youth who were involved. The report also covers how the criminal justice system has been handling teen arson and reviews and compares several treatment and intervention programs.

The Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations states, references, or supplements policy for Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service fire and fire aviation program management. Original source policy is stated or referenced throughout this handbook. This handbook attempts to quote verbatim, rather than to paraphrase policy that is stated elsewhere. It also attempts to limit duplication of source policy when a reference will suffice. Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations is intended to comply with and support the Review and Update of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (January 2001) and the Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (February 13, 2009) and other existing federal policy. The Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations provides fire and fire aviation program management direction for Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service managers.

On September 5, 1996, Hurricane Fran made landfall near Cape Fear, North Carolina and generated considerable rainfall, moderately high winds, and storm surge and waves along the cost. Although the storm generated high winds along the coast and well inland, severe damage to buildings was concentrated in those areas also impacted by the flood surge and waves. This report focuses on the damage along the North Carolina coast that resulted from flood surge, wave action, erosion, and scour. On September 12, 1996, the Mitigation Directorate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) deployed a Building Performance Assessment Team (BPAT) to coastal North Carolina to assess damage caused by Hurricane Fran. The mission of the BPAT was to assess the performance of buildings on the barrier islands most directly affected by Hurricane Fran and to make recommendations for improving building performance in future events. Better performance of building systems can be expected when the causes of observed failures are determined and repair and construction are undertaken in accordance with recognized standards of design and construction. The immediate goal of the BPAT process is to provide guidance to State and local governments for post-hurricane reconstruction. In addition, the BPAT's findings can enhance future coastal design and construction. The BPAT developed recommendations for reducing future hurricane damage. The recommendations address areas of concern such as building materials, design practices, construction techniques, and quality of construction. The recommendations presented in this report are applicable in other communities that experience similar coastal flooding. This report presents the BPAT's observations of the successes and failures of buildings that experienced the flood effects of Hurricane Fran, comments on building failure modes, and provides recommendations intended to enhance the performance of buildings in future hurricanes.

A salute to life is a commemorative book honoring the thousands of lives that were, and continue to be, impacted by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.