FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency
09/23/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/23/2024 09:50
FEMA Celebrates Climate Week NYC, Officials Across the Agency Participate in Events, Promote FEMA’s Year of Resilience
WASHINGTON - As extreme weather events caused by climate change continue to increase across the nation, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, FEMA Deputy Administrator for Resilience Victoria Salinas, and FEMA Regional Administrator Region 2 David Warrington will attend Climate Week NYC and lead FEMA's largest contingent of FEMA officials to ever attend the annual gathering. During the week, FEMA officials will highlight FEMA's Year of Resilience, host several engagements, and participate in Climate Week NYC Events.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will attend several events and address topics including extreme heat, climate risk, resilience, and how climate change is impacting the insurance market. Administrator Criswell will be a keynote speaker at the WSJ House, Bloomberg Sustainable Finance Forum, AON's Resilience and Adaptation: Ensuring Economic Progress and Combating Climate Risk, and Global Citizen Addressing the Human Costs of Extreme Heat - Financing Measures to Safeguard Human Health at an International and National Level.
As New York City hosts the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in addition to Climate Week NYC, FEMA is proudly supporting efforts to ensure a safe event each year and is dedicated to ensuring a unified coordinated effort between Local, State, and Federal agencies throughout the greater New York City area throughout the week.
Kicking off Climate Week NYC this year, the U.S. Fire Administration will host a Fire Chiefs Roundtable: Climate Change Driven Risks, Response and Resilience: Fire Chiefs' Perspective to bring together officials to discuss the current wildfire situation and what it will take to get ahead of future wildfire ignitions and the devastating impacts of intensifying storms. The roundtable will build on discussions and information exchanges that occurred during the inaugural World Fire Congress convened by FEMA/USFA in Washington, D.C. in May 2024.
FEMA will also host a Risk Communications Webinar, where presenters will share successful strategies to communicate risk and inspire preparedness action in the face of increasingly frequent hazards-an alarming consequence of climate change.
FEMA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are partnering for a full-day summit exploring resilient infrastructure challenges and innovative solutions through discussions on the recently published National Resilience Guidance, nature-based solutions, energy efficiency, net-zero energy, and sustainable disaster debris management.
The following events are open to the media:
Monday, September 23
10:00 AM: U.S. Fire Administration to Host a Fire Chiefs Roundtable: Climate Change Driven Risks, Response and Resilience: Fire Chiefs' Perspective(Virtual; In-Person Registration is Closed)
What: The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) will host an interactive roundtable discussion on climate change driven risks, response and resilience during Climate Week NYC. This interactive roundtable brings together fire chiefs and their government counterparts including U.S. Fire Administrator Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, FEMA Associate Administrator for External Affairs Justin Ángel Knighten, FEMA Associate Deputy Administrator for Resilience Robin Keegan, FEMA Regional Administrator Region 2 David Warrington, Fire Chief Orange County Brian Fennessy, Fire Chief Los Angeles County Tony Marrone, Fire Chief Fairfax County John Butler, Fire and EMS Chief Washington, D.C. John Donnelly and acting Fire Chief New York City John Esposito. Discussion topics will include the current wildfire situation and what it will take to get ahead of future wildfire ignitions and the devastating impacts of intensifying storms. FEMA Region 2 will host the roundtable discussion including stakeholders from academia, nongovernmental organizations, U.S. and international government representatives and fire service leaders. The roundtable will build on discussions and information exchanges that occurred during the inaugural World Fire Congress convened by FEMA/USFA in Washington, D.C. in May 2024.
2:30 PM: FEMA to Host National Webinar - Risk Communications (Virtual)
What: Presenters will share successful strategies to communicate risk and inspire preparedness action in the face of increasingly frequent hazards-an alarming consequence of climate change. This event is a valuable opportunity for risk and crisis communicators, community leaders, emergency management professionals and stakeholders involved in disaster preparedness. Participants will learn strategies for creating awareness and activities that help communities plan for disasters and build resilience amid the climate crisis. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions to support communications best practices related to developing and sharing critical preparedness messaging.
Tuesday, September 24
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM: FEMA and EPA to Host Event: Climate Resilient Infrastructure: Building a More Sustainable Future (Virtual and In-Person Registration Required)
What: FEMA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are partnering for a full-day summit exploring resilient infrastructure challenges and innovative solutions through discussions on the recently published National Resilience Guidance, nature-based solutions, energy efficiency, net-zero energy and sustainable disaster debris management. Attendees will get to hear from FEMA and our public, private and academic partners on several topics including nature-based solutions, net-zero energy projects, energy efficiency efforts, the use of salvaged materials and how each of these fit into nationwide resilience strategy.
Where: Climate Week NYC: Climate Resilient Infrastructure: Building a More Sustainable Future.
2:45 PM: FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to Speak at WSJ House
What: FEMA Administrator Speaks at Wall Street Journal Live on resilience.
Where: Bryant Park Grill, 25 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018.
To register for this event, please contact WSJ Live.
Wednesday, September 25
9:20-10:00 AM: FEMA Administrator to speak at AON's Resilience and Adaptation: Ensuring Economic Progress and Combating Climate Risk
What: FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will join a panel discussion on how theunprecedented risk environment has upended the traditional balance where insurance was the dependable safeguard enabling the flow of capital across the economy. Severe weather and a changing climate are rendering historically safe investments uninsurable, sending shockwaves through the financial systems and threatening the livelihoods and progress of institutions and individuals alike. This high-level dialogue will touch on the major challenges a lack of insurance access creates for the public and private sectors, what needs to be done and the potential for new paradigms to bring the system back into balance.
Where: Aon Corporate Headquarters, One Liberty Plaza (165 Broadway), New York, NY 10006.
To register for this event, please contact Aon.
11:00 AM: FEMA Administrator to speak at Global Citizen Addressing the Human Costs of Extreme Heat - Financing Measures to Safeguard Human Health at an International and National Level
What: FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will join a panel discussion to discuss extreme heat.
Where: Guastavino's located at 409 E 59th St, New York, NY 10022.
To register for this event, please contact Global Citizen.
Thursday, September 26
1:30 PM-2:00 PM: FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will speak at Bloomberg's Sustainable Finance Forum
What: FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will headline the Bloomberg Sustainable Finance Forum at Bloomberg Headquarters for a fireside chat with Bloomberg Intelligence Director of ESG Research Eric Kane.
Where: 731 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022.
To register for this event, please contact Bloomberg Sustainable Finance Forum.
3:00 PM-4:00 PM: Climate Resiliency Fireside Chat with FEMA, NASA and NOAA (Virtual Registration Required)
What: FEMA, NASA and NOAA will be discussing climate resiliency and the importance of forward-thinking programs that equip communities for the climate challenges of today and tomorrow. Panelists include FEMA Deputy Administrator for Resilience Victoria Salinas, NASA Chief Scientist Dr. Kate Calvin and NOAA Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Deputy Administrator Jainey Bavishi. This is a unique opportunity for community leaders and members from federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments, nonprofits, the private sector and academia to connect with subject matter experts, share knowledge and deepen understanding of how to build resilient communities in the face of a changing climate.