NASTTPO

NASTTPO

News

An Critical Element of the Group and Sandy Recovery: the Division of Housing and Urban Improvement

by Leave a Comment

Posted by: Lars Anderson, Director, Public Affairs

secretary donovan press conference
CAPTION: Lincroft, N.J., Nov. 16, 2012 — Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan speaks at a press conference concerning Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts, as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano and Senator stand in the background.

As we often say at FEMA, successful emergency management requires a team effort.  Without question, the importance of teamwork has never been more evident as the recovery to Hurricane Sandy continues.  At the direction of President Obama, FEMA continues to coordinate the federal government’s efforts in a coordinated way that reaches disaster survivors.  Whether it’s the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers helping with debris removal, the Environmental Protection Agency advising survivors on mold removal, or the Small Business Administration helping affected business owners get their doors open quickly – FEMA continues to leverage the expertise of our federal partners to make a lasting impact.

Another important partner on the team is the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  After many disasters, FEMA works closely with HUD to ensure those impacted by the disaster have safe housing options if their residence was damaged or destroyed.

Last week, President Obama announced that he asked Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan to continue to work closely with Governors, mayors and local officials of New Jersey and New York as they begin the process of identifying redevelopment plans for affected communities.  This announcement further links FEMA’s role in disaster recovery with HUD’s role in redevelopment, ensuring the two agencies will continue to work closely together.  As long term recovery needs are identified, HUD will lend expertise in translating those needs into solutions that work for disaster survivors.

If you’re a disaster survivor, the President’s announcement does not change the process of applying for assistance from the federal government.  FEMA will continue to administer federal disaster assistance, so it’s important to apply through FEMA if you have been impacted by Hurricane Sandy.  You can apply for assistance by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA).

Again, FEMA will continue to lead the federal government’s recovery efforts in response to Hurricane Sandy, and a great way to keep up with the progress is through this blog, the FEMA Sandy Facebook and Twitter accounts, or at www.fema.gov/sandy.  You can also follow HUD’s Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts on their website.

meeting at FEMA office in new jersey
CAPTION: Lincroft, N.J., Nov. 16, 2012 — Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and Shaun Donovan, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, along with members of Congress, greet FEMA employees at the Joint Field Office where Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts are coordinated.

FEMA Blog

Pia Carusone Named Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs

by Leave a Comment

-Posted by Public Affairs

DHS announced that Pia Carusone, former Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, has been appointed as the new Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. Pia brings a wealth of experience in communications and homeland security issues in Congress and in her new role, will advise the Secretary on all matters related to public affairs, as well as oversee strategic and internal communications. Pia and her team will be responsible for coordinating the public affairs activities of all of the Department’s components and offices, and serve as the federal government’s lead public information office during national emergencies or disasters.

Pia served as Congresswoman Giffords’ Chief of Staff from March 2009 until her resignation in January 2012. During her tenure, she oversaw all border security and homeland security issues for the office. After the Tucson shooting, Pia served as the national spokesperson for the Congresswoman and her family. Pia is a native of Saratoga Springs, NY and a graduate of Bard College.

Pia replaces Matt Chandler, who had been serving as Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs. Matt has been named Director of Communications. He has been with DHS since March 2009, and previously served as the Department’s Press Secretary and Deputy Press Secretary.

Published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.

The Blog @ Homeland Security

CBP Supports Tanker Operations in New York-New Jersey Region

by Leave a Comment

New York – U. S. Customs and Border Protection is processing a lot needed fuel tankers today as recovery efforts are underway throughout the New York City region. “The demonstrated resiliency by the men and women of New York and New Jersey is represented by way of the males and girls of CBP and our partners who are operating hard to get this area back to company as usual,” mentioned Robert E. (a lot more)
CBP.gov: National News Releases

Guidance to Travelers Bringing Agriculture Products When Returning From the Hajj

by Leave a Comment

Washington – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is reminding travelers returning from the Hajj to declare all agricultural things from their baggage. A lot of items can not be brought into the United States since they might carry animal and plant pests and illnesses. (much more)
CBP.gov: National News Releases

DHS Employee Elected to Prominent Post in Prestigious National Organization

by Leave a Comment

-Posted by Public Affairs

The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Dr. Cedric Alexander, Federal Security Director at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, was recently elected 2nd Vice President to the National Organization for Black Law Enforcement (NOBLE). This is the first time a Department of Homeland Security employee has held this distinctive honor.

Dr. Alexander, who celebrates five years with TSA this September, is also a 10-year member of NOBLE. He was sworn in at NOBLE’s 36th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Little Rock, Arkansas. As a Federal Security Director with TSA, Dr. Alexander works in partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement partners to secure our nation’s transportation system. In his role as 2nd Vice President, Dr. Alexander will further his collaboration with the law enforcement community by working with NOBLE’s committees and initiatives to ensure the organization’s mission and objectives move forward.

“I am extremely honored to have been elected into this position,” said Dr. Alexander. “NOBLE is a tremendous organization with an expansive network of law enforcement and security professionals. I look forward to representing TSA in my new role.”

Founded in 1976, NOBLE’s 57 chapters and 4,000 members span across the nation and include members of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities. The organization’s mission is “to ensure equity in the administration of justice in the provision of public service to all communities, and to serve as the conscience of law enforcement by being committed to justice by action.”

Published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.

The Blog @ Homeland Security

FLETC Conducts Females in Law Enforcement Leadership Coaching System in Peru

by Leave a Comment

-Posted by Federal Law Enforcement Training Center Director Connie Patrick

The Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) recently completed its latest iteration of the Women in Law Enforcement Leadership Training Program in Lima, Peru where 38 female police officials from Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay participated in a five-day program on topics such as work-life balance, leadership, and effective communication skills. The program started at the U.S. Embassy in Lima with opening remarks from Ambassador Rose M. Likins, who underscored the importance of fostering the development of female law enforcement leaders around the world.


(from left) FLETC Assistant Director for Training Dominick Braccio; Commander Jeaning Calmell del Solar, Peruvian National Police; and FLETC Deputy Assistant Director Val Atkins participate in a panel discussion.

To date, 218 women from 25 nations have benefited from the knowledge and skills conveyed in this program. The wide spectrum of individuals we are reaching makes me confident that we are making a difference in advancing the rights of women across the globe and developing future leaders that will strengthen international security.

Already, we have heard feedback from some participants on how the program has had a positive impact on both their personal and professional lives. Thessa, a prosecutor from the Philippines, wrote in an email to our team here at FLETC applauding the program for “the great opportunity, the priceless knowledge, tools and insights.” 

Attendees at the Women in Leadership Training in Lima, Peru.
Attendees at the Women in Leadership Training in Lima, Peru.

I have had the honor to be able to take part in several of the training programs and saw firsthand how much the participants value our efforts. The heartfelt enthusiasm and motivation of these women at the end of each training session truly shows the value of the program, and I look forward to the next session in Budapest later this year.

Published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.

The Blog @ Homeland Security

Preview the Next Generation of www.DHS.gov

by Leave a Comment

– Posted by Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Pia Carusone

The Department of Homeland Security just redesigned its website and now you can take a look and offer your feedback before we officially launch the new website within the next two weeks and retire the old one.

Here are tips to start your site tour of http://preview.dhs.gov/

  • Visit the new Topics pages, with their own Resource Directories to relevant information
  • Use the How Do I? sections to find answers to commonly asked questions
  • Learn how to Get Involved with agency activities for the public
  • Go to the About  DHS section for to learn about DHS’ budget, organization, career options and history
  • See our new multimedia page and photos of DHS at work in the News section.

Why Did We Redesign the Site?
Our new website design was guided by user feedback and best practices in user-centered design.  The goals of the redesign are to simplify and unify DHS.gov’s content and create a more consistent look and feel throughout the site.

At the new DHS website, we are aiming to:

  • Provide valuable information
  • Help you find what you need on the DHS.gov with better navigation and improved content
  • Make it easier for visitors to engage with DHS

In addition, there are plenty of unseen improvements in the administrator interface that make our online communication more cost-efficient, help us execute a customer-focused strategy for web-content management, streamline customer access to DHS services and improve our web content management.

Please Note…
We plan to adopt an improved search engine at launch.  That means at the preview.dhs.gov site, onsite search function does not work yet.  If you use the search box, your search results will return you to the “old” DHS.gov site for now.

We Want Your feedback!
Now that you have some background on what we did and why we did it, please take a few minutes to look around http://preview.dhs.gov and send us your feedback using IdeaScale. IdeaScale is a platform where we can collect your ideas and suggestions for improving the next generation DHS.gov. While you are at it, consider casting a vote for the best ideas that others share, or joining discussions about ideas submitted by others.

Our DHS web team will review ALL submissions, and your feedback will be extremely valuable to us in making quick and continuous improvements to the new website.

If you prefer not to create an IdeaScale profile or have difficulty using IdeaScale, you can always send your suggestions or concerns to [email protected]

Thank you!

Published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.

The Blog @ Homeland Security

Private Sector Preparedness and Response in Boston: DHS for a Day X

by Leave a Comment

By Assistant Secretary for the Private Sector Douglas A. Smith

The Private Sector Office hosted the tenth DHS for a Day on August 1st, in Boston, Massachusetts.  This ongoing initiative is one example of DHS’ commitment to collaborating with the private sector to share best practices and build valuable partnerships to keep our communities and businesses safer.  The event highlighted opportunities for our private sector partners to support efforts to make our nation more prepared and resilient through programs like the Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification (PS-Prep) Program and trusted traveler programs such as Global Entry or TSA Pre✓™ .
DHS for a Day X The day began at U.S. Coast Guard Base Boston, where participants received briefings on the DHS Office of Infrastructure Protection Protective Security Advisor program and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s, Emergency Management Institute (EMI).  Founded over 60 years ago, EMI provides emergency response training to over two million public and private stakeholders each year on topics ranging from how to build public private partnerships, to how to develop and manage volunteers.  Following these presentations, participants were briefed on the U.S. Coast Guard’s mission and role in emergency response and port security.
In the afternoon, participants traveled to Conley Terminal at the Boston Seaport, where Customs and Border Protection officials briefed them on the role DHS plays in border security, travel and trade facilitation.
Finally, participants went to Logan International Airport to observe several TSA risk based security initiatives, including TSA Pre✓™.   
It is our hope participants left the tenth installment of DHS for a Day with a better understanding of the Department’s mission.  As we plan the next event, we will look for new ways to continue to strengthen our partnerships with public and private sector stakeholders. 
Published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.

The Blog @ Homeland Security