R3-18-NR-047

News Desk: (215) 931-5597

FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov

PHILADELPHIA – Every year, natural disasters impact communities across the country. Wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, and other events disrupt lives and businesses to varying degrees, but one certainty is that events like these will continue to occur with potential impacts to businesses of every size. Planning and preparing for these events means coordinating with partners from multiple organizations, including both the public and private sector. In this spirit of collaboration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III office continues to plan and prepare for these events and is inviting business owners and operators to participate in our 2019 Private Sector Readiness Day on January 17, 2019 in Philadelphia, PA.

As recent as September, FEMA Region III engaged with our private sector partners through an activation of the Regional Business Emergency Operations Center (RBEOC) in response to Hurricane Florence. This same engagement, level of information-sharing, and partnership is also the goal for the January Readiness Day, the fifth workshop designed to bring public and private organizations together to plan for emergencies and enhance coordination between FEMA and businesses in Region III. “Our partnership with the private sector is key to our success in helping people before, during, and after disasters,” stated MaryAnn Tierney, FEMA Region III Regional Administrator. “These events allow us to meet face-to-face, work together through a scenario, and ultimately become better prepared for future emergencies where we will need to work together to help our communities.”

Event: January Private Sector Readiness Day

Location: FEMA Region III, 7^th Floor, 615 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Date: January 17, 2019

Time: 08:00 – 04:30

Registration: Eventbrite page (Space is limited, so please register as soon as possible).

Point of Contact: Melissa Wiehenstroer – melissa.wiehenstroer@fema.dhs.gov or
(202) 568-4391

This free one-day event is an excellent opportunity to learn more about how FEMA, state, and other federal agencies engage with our private sector partners and to share feedback with us about your priorities and concerns. During the tabletop exercise, FEMA Region III’s Exercise Coordinator will guide Readiness Day participants through a winter storm scenario and facilitate interactive discussions based on these questions and more.

In addition, you’ll hear from federal and state agencies including the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, the newly created DHS Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA, which was formerly the National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD)), and FEMA about each of our private sector programs and how we engage with our partners. You’ll also hear from your private sector peers about how they interact with us to prepare to, respond to, and recover from disasters.

Businesses are also invited to join the RBEOC. Membership and participation in the RBEOC is voluntary and open to all members of the private and public sectors. By joining the RBEOC, members can establish and maintain a strong personal network with our Regional stakeholders and enjoy the benefits of building upon a trusted network of in-place relationships to facilitate information and idea sharing throughout the emergency management lifecycle. Interested parties should contact Melissa Wiehenstroer, Private Sector Liaison, at melissa.wiehenstroer@fema.dhs.gov for more information.

About the RBEOC: The mission of the FEMA Region III Regional Business Emergency Operations Center (RBEOC) is to formalize and enhance two-way information sharing between public & private sector stakeholders regarding emergency management matters throughout the disaster lifecycle.

FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region III’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Learn more about FEMA Region III at www.FEMA.gov/region-iii. Stay informed of FEMA’s activities online: videos and podcasts are available at fema.gov/medialibrary and youtube.com/fema. Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/femaregion3.

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