**March 17, 2008 FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Program
Report**

**(1) British Columbia, Canada, Provincial Emergency Program
Information:**

While trying to follow the IAEM Discussion List thread having to do with
earthquake behavior -- specifically if one should stand in doorways
(generally no), came across the following website which, upon some
investigation, appears to contain some very good information on
personal, family and community disaster preparedness.

Government of British Columbia, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor
General, Provincial Emergency Program. February 8, 2008 Update. At:
<http://www.pep.bc.ca/index.html>

**(2) FEMA Emergency Management Higher Education Conference, June 2-5,
2008 Notes:**

Talked today again with Margaret Chan, on the staff of Matt Jadacki,
Deputy Inspector General, DHS, concerning a presentation by Mr. Jadacki,
per his request, at the 2008 EM Hi Ed Conference. We had responded and
asked if Thursday June 5^th^ would work at 11:00 for fifty minutes of
plenary time. The answer is "Yes" and this timeslot is now on Mr.
Jadacki's schedule. We next discussed topics. Amongst the topics
discussed was expanding on Mr. Jadacki's March 13, 2008 Prepared
Statement before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland
Security, holding hearings on "Is FEMA on the Right Track," specifically
the three points made during his Conclusion wherein he stated that the
answer to the question was generally yes -- yes, but. The "but" parts
were:

Strategic Planning

Sustainability

Staffing

Those topics were not elaborated on in the prepared statement, and could
be in a conference presentation. Another topical area discussed was
seeking to place his remarks within a context of the importance of
professionalism and ethics.

**(3) Government as Secretive????**

> "...three out of four view the federal government as secretive,
> according to a survey released Sunday. Scripps Howard News Service and
> Ohio University conducted the survey in conjunction with Sunshine
> Week, a nationwide effort by media organizations to draw attention to
> the public\'s right to know. The survey found a significant increase
> in the percentage of Americans who believe the federal government is
> very or somewhat secretive, from 62 percent of those surveyed in 2006
> to 74 percent in 2008. That\'s a sobering jump, said David Westphal,
> Washington editor for McClatchy Newspapers and co-chairman of the
> American Society of Newspaper Editors\' Freedom of Information
> Committee."

For more, see *Associated Press,* "Poll: More See Government As
Secretive," March 16, 2008. At:
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080316/ap_on_re_us/sunshine_week_poll&printer=1>

The End:

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

**"Please note: Some of the Web sites linked to in this document are not
federal government Web sites, and may not necessarily operate under the
same laws, regulations, and policies as federal Web sites."**

 

EMI, the nation's pre-eminent emergency management training
organization, offers training at no charge to emergency managers and
allied professions through its resident classes in Emmitsburg, MD, its
online courses <http://training.fema.gov/IS/> and through development of
hands-off training courses.  To access upcoming resident courses with
vacancies <http://training.fema.gov/EMICCourses/>. 

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