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HSGP Appendix | 2023 Page A-34
<br />•Financial Resilience: FEMA partners with philanthropic and nonprofit organizations to increase
<br />the financial resilience of the public in advance of disasters, including acts of terrorism. Activities
<br />include helping the public to organize finances and increasing the understanding of what FEMA
<br />assistance can provide. Partnerships with local financial wellness organizations such as credit
<br />unions, financial counselors, community banks, and others that reach a variety of audiences are
<br />encouraged. The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK) provides individuals, families, and
<br />businesses the ability to organize critical financial, medical, and household information. It
<br />includes a checklist of important documents and forms to compile your relevant information.
<br />•Building Capacity with Community Based Organizations: Community-Based Organizations
<br />serve as a critical safety net for Americans disproportionately impacted by disasters, including
<br />acts of terrorism. Allowable activities include Whole Community exercises, trainings, and
<br />activities focused on staff preparedness; information sharing with clients and government; and
<br />continuity of essential functions in the event of an emergency. In 2019, FEMA launched the
<br />Organizations Preparing for Emergency Needs Training (OPEN). OPEN includes both a web-
<br />based, self-guided training, and a downloadable instructor kit that will guide participants on how
<br />to identify risks, locate resources, and take preparedness actions. When Community-Based
<br />Organizations, such as food pantries, daycares, and nonprofits, are unable to sustain operations
<br />during an emergency incident, individuals who rely on them are exponentially impacted. Because
<br />of their importance in keeping the community going, OPEN is designed to empower these
<br />organizations to better prepare for incidents. Community-Based Organizations include but are not
<br />limited to food banks, food pantries, homeless shelters, school readiness and after school centers,
<br />adult day care centers, job training centers, legal assistance centers, and cultural centers.
<br />•Preparedness Actions: FEMA curates validated guidance for decision-making (protective
<br />actions) for the public in order to increase survival rates and improve disaster recovery, including
<br />from acts of terrorism. Recipients may order, free of charge, hazard information sheets on 17
<br />different types of threats and hazards, the “12 Ways to Prepare Postcard,” guidance on how to
<br />create an emergency communications plan for a family, and a breadth of depth of other material
<br />at https://orders.gpo.gov/icpd/ICPD.aspx.
<br />•Youth Preparedness Resources are available on www.ready.gov/kids. Bolstering youth
<br />preparedness across the nation is a priority for FEMA as the Agency works with state, local,
<br />tribal, and territorial partners to create a culture of preparedness in the United States. Information
<br />on youth-centric educational curricula, games, planning materials, and other relevant resources
<br />can be found at www.ready.gov/kids.
<br />The following are examples of youth preparedness activities that grantees are encouraged to
<br />undertake as allowable costs:
<br />o Reach out to a local school board or elementary school to encourage the adoption of the
<br />Student Tools for Emergency Planning (STEP) curriculum. STEP is a classroom-based
<br />emergency preparedness curriculum for 4th- and 5th-graders in an easy, ready-to-teach
<br />format. Students will learn about disasters, emergencies, and hazards, and how to create a
<br />disaster supply kit and family emergency communication plan. An overview of the STEP
<br />program along with the instructor guide and student activity book is available at
<br />https://www.ready.gov/student-tools-emergency-planning-step; and
<br />o Sponsor the creation of a Teen CERT in your jurisdiction. The CERT Program is a
<br />national program of volunteers trained in disaster preparedness and emergency response.
<br />Volunteers come from all ages and all walks of life, including teenagers. Additional
<br />information, including a step-by-step guide on how to start a Teen CERT, is available at
<br />https://www.ready.gov/teen-cert.
<br />The following tools are available to order from FEMA’s warehouse free of charge:
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