Mission
Region III External Affairs coordinates and manages internal communications for the Region III office and external communications to the public, Congressional members, offices, and staff, the press, local, state, and tribal officials, the private sector, other federal agencies, and other stakeholders. External Affairs supports Region III divisions in the communication of policies and programs to ensure that activities are responsive to stakeholders’ needs and FEMA’s mission is communicated effectively. Major activities of External Affairs include supporting disaster response and recovery, coordination of private sector engagement, promoting National Preparedness Month and Prepareathon, and organizing the Regional Advisory Council.
Components
The following represent the major components of Region III External Affairs:
Congressional Affairs
The role of Congressional Affairs is to expeditiously provide information to Congressional members, offices, and staff in Region III. This can include collaboration on constituent casework; sharing updates on grants and FEMA funding; providing disaster declaration notifications and updates; and working with staff on any topics of interest to the office or member. Any Congressional office related correspondence may be sent via email to FEMA-R3-CongQ@fema.dhs.gov.
Public Affairs
The role of public affairs is to communicate and directly coordinate with traditional and social media players to answer questions, provide information and notifications, and message FEMA’s priorities. In doing so, FEMA Region III Public Affairs manages FEMA Region III’s Twitter handle (@FEMAregion3) and is responsible for coordinating directly with members of the media and press corps. Public Affairs engages directly with other federal agencies (OFAs) and state public information officers, and also coordinates any speaker's requests through the Speaker's Bureau.
Any questions should be directed to the Region III News Desk at (215) 931-5597 or FEMAR3NewsDesk@fema.dhs.gov. For other regional or Headquarters’ news desk contact information, please visit https://www.fema.gov/media-contacts.
Private Sector
The role of FEMA Region III’s Private Sector Liaison is to engage directly with the private sector and build collaboration between public and private sector organizations. One significant aspect of this engagement is the Regional Business Emergency Operations Center (RBEOC). The RBEOC creates a platform for FEMA to engage directly with the private sector during disaster response and recovery. Formally adopted in 2015, the RBEOC empowers coordination, communication, and engagement between the public and private sectors throughout the disaster life cycle. Please visit the hyperlink above for more information, including requesting membership in the RBEOC.
Intergovernmental / Tribal Affairs
Intergovernmental (IGA) and Tribal Affairs works with local and tribal officials to communicate FEMA’s programs, share preparedness information, and build relationships. Region III is home to many thousands of communities spread across 3 states, 2 Commonwealths, and the District of Columbia. The goal of IGA / Tribal Affairs is to outreach to these communities.
Individual and Community Preparedness
Individual and Community Preparedness (ICPD) takes the Ready Campaign and Prepareathon and promotes these at a regional level. Whether it is sporting events, community outreach, or even state preparedness agencies and representatives (such as Citizen Corps), Region III’s ICPD works with every External Affairs component, regional division, state, and Headquarters to improve our outreach and promote preparedness for future incidents.
Regional Advisory Council
Region III External Affairs coordinates the Regional Advisory Council (RAC) in direct engagement with the Office of the Regional Administrator. For additional information on the RAC and membership, please contact us.
Products
Podcasts
| FEMA Region III Podcasts |
|---|
| Financial Preparedness |
Videos
View in FEMA Multimedia Library
View in FEMA Multimedia Library
View in FEMA Multimedia Library
View in FEMA Multimedia Library
View in FEMA Multimedia Library
Infographics
| Title | |
|---|---|
| Flooding Can Happen Any Time of Year, Are You Prepared? |  <p>Flooding is a year-round hazard. Learn more and get prepared at <a href="http://www.ready.gov/floods">www.ready.gov/floods</a>.</p> Download Original |
| You're Ready for Winter - is Your Car? |  <p>Prepare for winter weather by creating an emergency kit for your vehicle and visiting <a href="http://www.Ready.gov">www.Ready.gov</a> for more tips.</p> Download Original |
| Don't Crowd the Plow! |  <p>When plows are out removing snow on the roads, be sure to give them plenty of space and do not try to pass! Learn more about winter weather safety at <a href="http://www.Ready.gov/winter">www.Ready.gov/winter</a>.</p> Download Original |
| Pet Preparedness |  <p>A significan't number of families have pets and they're part of the family. They need to be ready for a disaster too. Find more information at ready.gov/pets</p> Download Original |
| Make Your Business Resilient |  <p>Roughly 40 to 60 percent of small businesses never reopen their doors following a disaster. But you can. Learn more about protecting your business at <a href="https://www.ready.gov/business">ready.gov/business.</a></p> Download Original |
| Is Your Disaster Kit Stocked? |  <p>Food in your fridge stays good for approximately four hours without power. Hurricane Sandy knocked out power to 8.5 million customers for seven days. What is your disaster preparedness plan? Learn more about emergency kits at <a href="https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit">ready.gov/build-a-kit.</a></p> Download Original |
| Protect Against A Flood |  <p>If you live in a flood prone area, taking proactive measures are a must in order to protect your house and your valuables. For more information on protecting your home, visit <a href="https://www.ready.gov/floods">ready.gov/floods.</a></p> Download Original |
Toolkits
| Title | Size | Publication Date | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 2018 Sustainability Toolkit |
| December 15, 2017 | ||
| 2018 Flood Safety Toolkit | 0.95M | February 13, 2018 |
Additional Information
For additional information on the role of External Affairs in disaster response and recovery, please see the Emergency Support Function (ESF) 15 Standard Operating Procedure.
| Title | Size | Publication Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Support Function 15: Standard Operating Procedure | 2.09M | July 27, 2016 |
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or ideas!