AMU Emergency Management Original Public Safety

EDM Friday Briefing: SAFER Grant Application Period Is Now Open

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SAFER grant Arsenault

Emergency and disaster management briefing for January 7, 2022: Lava returned to the lava lake at Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano after a three-day pause; two earthquakes in less than 24 hours were recorded under Lake Erie offshore of northeastern Ohio; seawater magnetic fields may provide at least a minute of extra warning time for tsunamis; the SAFER grant period is now open to assist firefighter staffing levels across the nation; NWCG offers an optional Wildland Fire Mental Health module with its RT-130 required training; CISA has released three free YouTube videos to address and prevent bombings; the Wolf Volcano in the Galapagos Islands began erupting early Friday; and over 28,400 pounds of fresh ground beef is being recalled due to potential E. coli contamination.

1. Lava returned to the lava lake at Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano yesterday after a three-day pause. The volcano continues to erupt from the western rim into the Halema’uma’u Crater. The current eruption is an intermittent lava effusion-style eruption, with pauses between lava flows that have ranged anywhere from six hours to three days.

2. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) seismologists recorded a second earthquake under Lake Erie, off the shores of Lake County in northeastern Ohio, in less than a 24-hour period. The first quake, recorded on Tuesday morning, registered a 2.8 magnitude and was felt by numerous people who called their local 911 center. The second earthquake was only a 1.9 magnitude tremor, which occurred early Wednesday morning. Outside of recording equipment, the tremor was not felt by the general population.

3. According to a scientific study, tsunamis create electrical currents in conductive seawater, which in turn create magnetic fields. Scientists theorized that the magnetic field is likely to arrive at shorelines ahead of a tsunami, possible providing a few extra minutes of warning time. Two tsunamis allowed scientists to test the theory – Samoa’s 2009 tsunami and the 2010 Chile tsunami. It was found that the magnetic field arrived about one minute prior to a sea level change.

4. The adequate staffing of fire departments across the country remains an increasing concern. Additional burdens have further impacted staffing, so the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant was created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The SAFER Grant is meant to address staffing needs at local fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations. It will help to ensure that they are able to meet response and operational standards, along with staffing levels, as required by NFPA 1710 and/or 1720. The grant period opened on January 3 and closes on February 4 at 5 p.m. ET.

5. A new module was introduced and is offered as an option within the National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s RT-130: Wildland Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR). The new module, Wildland Fire Mental Health, provides tools and resources for wildland firefighter mental fitness. The module covers such topics as recognizing the importance of self-care, improving mental preparedness and building resilience to face adversity.

6. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is offering three videos to help address and prevent bombings. The videos highlight real-life scenarios that are easily relatable to emergency service providers and stakeholders, and they point to how readily available bomb-making materials are for anyone seeking to harm the public. The videos are offered for free via YouTube and address vigilance through recognizable signs by the general public, employees, or managers in relevant positions.

7. The Wolf Volcano in the Galapagos Islands erupted on Friday, spewing a cloud of gas and ash over the Pacific Ocean. The gas and ash rose more than 12,400 feet into the air, while lava flowed down the mountain’s flanks. The volcano is part of Isabela Island and there was no threat to the local population, situated on the opposite side of the island. Wolf Volcano is the tallest mountain in the Galapagos, measuring about 5,880 feet high, and it last erupted in 2015.

8. An Oregon-based meat distributor is recalling nearly 28,400 pounds of ground beef for potential E. coli contamination. Interstate Meat Distributors, Inc., recalled ground beef items produced on December 20. The products were packaged under various brand names, including Walmart, Kroger, WinCo and Albertsons. The fresh ground beef was distributed to retail locations in multiple states, including Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Kimberly Arsenault serves as an intern at the Cleveland/Bradley County Emergency Management Agency where she works on plan revisions and special projects. Previously, Kimberly spent 15 years in commercial and business aviation. Her positions included station manager at the former Midwest Express Airlines, as well as corporate flight attendant, inflight manager, and charter flight coordinator. Kimberly currently holds a master's degree in emergency and disaster management from American Public University.

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