**April 2, 2008 FEMA EM Hi-Ed Program Report**

**(1) Climate Change:**

Continuity Central. "Climate change seen as top emerging risk." March
31, 2008. Accessed at: <http://www.continuitycentral.com/news03834.htm>

Excerpt:

> Climate change will be considered a major threat to business in the
> next ten years according to a survey on 'emerging risks' conducted by
> Business Continuity Expo 2008 and sponsored by Marsh. According to the
> survey, 87 percent of businesses see climate change as the single
> biggest threat in terms of risk assessment and the effect it could
> have on their businesses future growth, with many at a loss as to what
> can be done in order to prepare or plan for this eventuality. This
> threat to the continuity and long-term success of their business is
> ahead of terrorism, pandemic 'flu, flooding, the credit crunch,
> government red-tape and outsourcing and off shoring. The survey was
> conducted amongst 150 major UK and European companies.

**(2) Communications Interoperability:**

Margetta, Rob. "Interoperability Solution Requires Change in Culture as
Much as New Gadgets, Says S&T's Cohen." *CQ Homeland Security*. April 1,
2008.

Excerpt:

> A decidedly low-tech solution to giving police and other emergency
> workers the ability to talk to one another via radio came up at a
> subcommittee hearing Tuesday on homeland security technology: changing
> the culture that makes some first-responders reluctant to share
> information.... Thus far, the communications industry has responded by
> producing "middle-men" --- routers and networks allowing departments'
> radios to talk to one another. But Jay Cohen, the head of DHS' Science
> and Technology Directorate, told the House Committee on Homeland
> Security Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science
> and Technology that an interoperability solution is going to require
> more than new gadgets....
>
> But, he said, the heads of emergency agencies, like police chiefs and
> senior staff, often prefer that their officers communicate only with
> them. At that point, the agency heads will talk to other departments.
> After the hearing, Cohen told reporters that he is sympathetic to the
> department heads. They are used to keeping details within their
> departments and protecting sources, so they get credit for any action
> taken. "The metrics in law enforcement are arrests and convictions,"
> he said. During the hearing, Pascrell said Cohen's point was an
> important one that often is not voiced.

Under Secretary Cohen's full prepared statement, as well as other
prepared statements and a CRS Report to Congress on Key Issues for
Congress relating to the DHS Science and Technology Directorate can be
accessed at: <http://homeland.house.gov/Hearings/index.asp?ID=123>

**(3) Formaldehyde, FEMA Trailers, the CDC, and House Committee on
S&T:**

House Committee on Science and Technology. *Toxic Trailers: Have the
Centers for Disease Control Failed to Protect Public Health?*
Washington, DC: Hearing, April 1, 2008. Accessed at:
<http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2133>

There are ten prepared statements for the record as well as several
committee press releases and other communications accessible via the URL
noted above.

The End

B.Wayne Blanchard, Ph.D., CEM\
Higher Education Project Manager\
Emergency Management Institute\
National Emergency Training Center\
Federal Emergency Management Agency\
Department of Homeland Security\
16825 S. Seton, K-011\
Emmitsburg, MD 21727\
<http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu>

**"Please note: Some of the Web sites linked to in this document are not
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