HANOVER, MD (September 5, 2024) — Governor Wes Moore signed Executive Order 01.01.2024.31 yesterday, strengthening the State’s comprehensive resilience strategy against all hazards. The executive order clearly outlines the duties of the Maryland Office of Resilience (MOR), which is part of the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM). It also defines the responsibilities of other State departments, agencies, and universities in their role to provide information and coordination with the MOR. Lastly, it also delineates how the MOR functions as the conveners and coordinators of the Statewide resilience strategy and prioritizes Statewide investments in resilience.

“This executive order underscores the State’s commitment to preserving government functions and safeguarding communities in the face of natural and human-made threats,” said MDEM’s Secretary Russ Strickland. “Our State must be prepared to adapt, withstand, and swiftly recover from disruptions to daily life, whether from climate change, natural disasters, or other emergencies. This executive order solidifies our commitment to shape a resilient Maryland where communities thrive by ensuring that our State’s strategies are coordinated, inclusive, and focused on protecting our most vulnerable communities.”

“Preparedness Month is a time to make sure you and your family are ready for any emergency,” said Russ Strickland, MDEM’s Secretary. “Whether it’s power outages, tropical storms, floods, cyber attacks, or winter storms, it’s vital to stay vigilant, prepared, and MdReady for whatever comes our way.”

Preparing in advance of an emergency is one of the best ways to protect your family from the financial and emotional impacts of a disaster. Flooding is the most common hazard in Maryland, and tornadoes, severe storms, dangerous heat, and severe winter weather are also potential threats. The best financial protection is to be properly insured, whether you own or rent your home. Remember, flood damage is typically not covered by standard property insurance policies.

MDEM also reminds everyone how crucial it is for those who live near coastal areas, the Chesapeake Bay, or its tributaries, to understand Maryland’s Know Your Zone hurricane evacuation program. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with peak activity typically occurring between mid-August and late October. To learn more about it and hurricane preparedness in Maryland, visit KnowYourZoneMD.com.

Throughout September, MDEM will share preparedness tips, emergency information, and Public Service Announcements (PSAs) across its digital and social media platforms. These resources are designed to help Marylanders stay informed and prepare for emergencies. Make sure to follow MDEM on its social media channels (MDEM Facebook, MDEM X [formerly Twitter], MDEM LinkedIn, MDEM YouTube, and MDEM NextDoor), and visit the MDEM website regularly for the latest updates and guidance on how to keep you and your loved ones safe.

For more information on how to be prepared for any hazard, you can also visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather Service, or the American Red Cross. To receive alerts, tips, and resources related to threats and hazards that may affect Maryland, text MdReady to 211-631 or text MdListo for Spanish.

HANOVER, MD (August 27, 2024) — The Maryland Department of Emergency Management, the Department of Information Technology, and the Maryland State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) Planning Committee, announced today that they will be releasing another funding opportunity through the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. The application period will begin Tuesday, September 3, 2024, and will end Thursday, October 3, 2024.

What is the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP)?

Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Congress established the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP) to “award grants to eligible entities to address cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats to information systems owned or operated by, or on behalf of, state, local, or tribal governments.” The SLCGP provides funding to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments to address cybersecurity risks and cybersecurity threats to SLTT-owned or operated information systems.

How much funding is available?

For FY23, Maryland was awarded $6.4M. The majority of this funding will go towards local jurisdictions, and 25% must go towards rural jurisdictions. Additional funding is expected in future years. This funding will be made available to eligible jurisdictions as sub-grants per the Maryland SLCGP Committee’s determinations.

Who is eligible to apply for funding? 

All local governments in Maryland are eligible to apply. “Local governments” are defined as a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, regional or interstate government entity, or agency or instrumentality of a local government; and a rural community, unincorporated town or village, or other public entity. “Rural” area is defined as an area encompassing a population of less than 50,000 people that has not been designated in the most recent decennial census as an “urbanized area” by the Secretary of Commerce (i.e., counties and jurisdictions within counties with a population of 50,000 or less).

What can the funding be used for?

Funds can be used towards cybersecurity projects and services that promote cyber resilience, in accordance with CISA’s and the SLCGP Committee’s priorities outlined in the Maryland SLCGP plan. Grant funding will be awarded based on statutory requirements, demonstrated need, quality of the application, and the ability to maintain federal and state grant compliance.

What are the next steps?

For more information on the SLCGP Application process, please visit the Cyber Preparedness Unit’s funding page or email [email protected].

HANOVER, MD (August 1, 2024) — Sara Bender, Director of Disaster Risk Reduction of the Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM), has successfully completed the prestigious Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security (CHDS).

“We are incredibly proud of Sara Bender’s accomplishment in completing the Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security,” said Russ Strickland, MDEM’s Secretary. “Her dedication and hard work exemplify the balance we strive for at MDEM between our immediate responsibilities and ongoing professional development. Despite the significant demands of recent community recovery efforts, Sara managed to excel in this rigorous program. Her achievement reinforces our commitment to developing our talent, ensuring we are always prepared to serve and protect the people of Maryland with the highest level of expertise and resilience.”

In her role at MDEM, Ms. Bender oversees critical areas, such as Disaster Recovery, Hazard Mitigation, Risk Analysis, Communications, and Whole Community Integration. With over six years of dedicated service to MDEM, Ms. Bender’s expertise and leadership have significantly contributed to enhancing Maryland’s resilience and preparedness.

Throughout the hybrid Executive Leaders Program, she collaborated with Homeland Security officials across the nation to address current policy, strategy, and organizational design challenges. This program, offered by CHDS, brings together a diverse group of professionals from emergency management, education, law enforcement, fire service, homeland security, public health, and local government, providing a comprehensive view of the homeland security landscape.

The Naval Postgraduate School’s CHDS is renowned as the nation’s leading Homeland Security educator. The program fosters critical thinking, leadership, and policy development skills among its participants. CHDS is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) National Preparedness Directorate within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Chas Eby, MDEM’s Deputy Secretary, is also a graduate of the CHDS master’s degree program.

Ms. Bender stated: “Participating in the Executive Leaders Program at the Naval Postgraduate School has been incredibly valuable, and I plan to use the insights and connections gained to enhance our efforts at MDEM to build a safer and more resilient Maryland. I’m excited to put this knowledge to use and work together with Maryland’s communities and partners to reduce disaster risks and handle any challenges in the homeland security and emergency management space that come our way.”

ABOUT NPS: The mission of the Naval Postgraduate School is to provide unique advanced education and research programs in order to increase the combat effectiveness of the U.S. and Allied armed forces as well as enhance the security of the United States. For information, visit www.nps.edu.

About MDEM: MDEM is a national leader in emergency management that provides Maryland residents, organizations, and emergency management partners with expert information, programmatic activities, and leadership in the delivery of financial, technical, and physical resources “to shape a resilient Maryland where communities thrive.” We do this by being Maryland’s designated source of official risk reduction and consequence management information.

During his remarks today, Secretary Strickland pointed out that “#WeCare! is the Maryland Department of Emergency Management’s motto.” He continued, “I am here because #WeCare! We care about the survivors, those we lost, and their families. We care about emergency management. We care about being present, responsive, and supportive to you and your jurisdiction. We care about the well-being of you, your staff, and your residents. We care about making Maryland more resilient so that all communities can thrive. We care about leaving nobody behind.”

Secretary Strickland began the #WeCare Tour today with a visit to Anne Arundel County. Secretary Strickland visited the HERricane Camp at the invitation of the County’s Emergency Management Director Preeti Emrick. As part of the annual HERricane Camp, organizers conducted an exercise that morning with the camp attendees — all young women ages 13-21. The HERricane Camp is an innovative program designed to empower young women by providing them with comprehensive training and education in emergency management. The camp aims to inspire the next generation of female leaders in the field of emergency management, fostering skills in leadership, preparedness, and resilience.

The #WeCare Tour

After visiting Anne Arundel County, Secretary Strickland will travel to Garrett, St. Mary’s, Calvert, Allegany, and Dorchester counties, as well as the City of Annapolis and Baltimore City over the next several weeks. Each trip will allow local officials and emergency managers showcase innovative and consequential local initiatives like HERricane, and the Tour offers a platform in which some of these initiatives can be shared with other jurisdictions in hopes that they can emulate best practices in creating similar programs or EM solutions to current challenges. The #WeCare Tour will further MDEM’s mission to proactively reduce disaster risks and reliably manage consequences through collaborative work with Maryland’s communities and partners.

For more information, residents can also go to MDEM’s website at mdem.maryland.gov, follow MDEM’s Twitter feed at @MDMEMA, or follow MDEM’s Facebook page at facebook.com/MDMEMA. To receive text alerts, tips, and resources related to threats and hazards that may affect Maryland, text “MdReady” to 211-631 or text “MdListo” to receive alerts in Spanish.

Marylanders are also encouraged to install the MdReady WebApp, which gives instant access to a wide array of emergency notifications and preparedness information to residents and visitors alike. To install the new WebApp, users can visit MdReady.maryland.gov and follow the prompt to easily add the MdReady shortcut to a mobile device home screen or to sign up for text alerts in English or Spanish.

NOAA’s outlook, which spans from June 1 to November 30, predicts an 85-percent chance of an above-normal season, a ten-percent chance of a near-normal season, and a five-percent chance of a below-normal season.

Part of that preparedness means you should Know Your Zone if you live, work, or visit coastal or tidal areas in Maryland in case a large storm requires evacuation. The Know Your Zone program allows local emergency officials to order evacuations by letter zones (A, B, and C) to more easily provide information to those in the area.

To determine if you live, work, or visit an evacuation zone in Maryland, please go to KnowYourZoneMD.com and click on the “Find Your Zone” link. Type in the address of the property you are interested in and you will find out if the location is in an evacuation zone. Please note that the zones are for evacuations from storm surge or tidal flooding along the Chesapeake Bay, its tributaries, the coastal bay, and the ocean on the Eastern Shore. The zones do NOT apply to inland and flash floods.

NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 8 to 13 are predicted to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 4 to 7 major hurricanes (category 3, 4, or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). Forecasters have a 70% confidence in these ranges.

“We are pleased to work with our partners at all levels of government to help strengthen the information technology infrastructure across Maryland,” said MDEM Secretary Russ Strickland. “Residents expect to safely access information and services from government agencies, and this grant will help to strengthen the resilience of information technology systems.”

The goal of the program is to help state and local governments address cybersecurity risks and threats to information systems. The program enables the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to make targeted cybersecurity investments in State and local government agencies, improving the security of critical infrastructure and resilience of services provided to the public.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are jointly managing the program. CISA will provide subject-matter expertise and determine allowable activities, while FEMA will conduct eligibility reviews and issue/administer the grant awards consistent with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies.

Applying for this award is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. The Maryland Cybersecurity Planning Committee, co-chaired by MDEM and the Maryland Department of Information Technology, has developed two programs to distribute the funds. Applicants are eligible to apply for both programs.

The Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) today joined NWS officials and local partners from Caroline and Kent Counties to announce the milestone at the recently erected Mesonet tower adjacent to Ridgely Elementary School in Caroline County. The tower is one of 70 planned weather data collection stations across the State and the first on the upper Eastern Shore. It is a partnership between MDEM and the University of Maryland’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science.

“Becoming StormReady is a significant milestone for our State and a crucial step for our local governments and partners to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors,” said Emergency Management Secretary, Russ Strickland. “I extend my sincere appreciation to Caroline and Kent counties, as well as all our local jurisdictions in Maryland, for their commitment to this endeavor. Special thanks are due to our local emergency managers for their dedicated efforts in guiding their communities through the process. Together, with our expanding network of Mesonet towers, we’re diligently working to enhance Marylanders’ safety against natural hazards.”

To qualify as StormReady, a community must: establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center; have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts to alert the public; create a system that monitors weather conditions locally; promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars; and develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

The project in Maryland was supported by the three NWS Forecast Offices serving the State: Baltimore-Washington in Sterling, VA, serving all counties west of the Chesapeake plus Cecil County; Mount Holly, NJ, near Philadelphia, serving Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot counties; and Wakefield, VA, serving Dorchester, Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester counties. StormReady traces its roots to a program called StormWise, which was started in 1998 by NWS Tulsa, Oklahoma in the area known as “Tornado Alley,” and was renamed StormReady in 2002.

“As a native Marylander, I am pleased that Maryland is one of the first StormReady states in the Nation,” said James E. Lee, Meteorologist-In-Charge at the Baltimore-Washington Forecast Office. “It speaks to the dedication of the partnership between all of the local jurisdictions in Maryland, the Maryland Department of Emergency Management, and the National Weather Service, with the shared goal to keep Marylanders safe from the multitude of weather threats we may experience.”

The program encourages communities to take a new, proactive approach to improving local hazardous weather operations by providing emergency managers with clear-cut guidelines. For more information, visit the StormReady website.

In addition to Maryland’s 23 counties and Baltimore City, other StormReady entities in the state include Ocean City; University of Maryland College Park; and Six Flags America in Prince George’s County. StormReady supporters are organizations, businesses, or facilities actively engaged in weather safety and preparedness but are unable to meet all the requirements of the full StormReady program, and include Arundel Mills Mall in Anne Arundel County, Clarksburg Premium Outlets in Montgomery County, Hagerstown Premium Outlets in Washington County, Queenstown Premium Outlets in Queen Anne’s County, and Towson University in Baltimore County. Other states with total StormReady participation include Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.

The Mesonet site is one of 10 now operational around Maryland that provides near real-time weather information and data collection. This Mesonet tower station, currently the Easternmost site in Maryland, can also be valuable in providing real-time weather information for storms heading east toward our neighbors in Delaware. Other towers already serving the region include Wye Mills in Queen Anne’s County and Easton in Talbot County.

The Maryland Mesonet’s mission is to design, build, and operate a network of high-quality, closely spaced, rapid-sampling weather monitoring and data collection systems across the State to advance emergency preparedness, the accuracy of regional weather forecasts, and expedite disaster assessment and recovery.

Each mesonet site measures air temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, rainfall, snow depth, and soil moisture and temperature at five depths, most at one-minute intervals. The measurements are sent to data servers at the University of Maryland using cellular transmission. The automatic quality-controlled observations are transmitted in near real-time to the NWS and simultaneously available to emergency management personnel and the public from the Mesonet website.

MDEM reminds Maryland residents and visitors to have multiple ways to receive alerts. For more information, visit MDEM’s website at mdem.maryland.gov, follow MDEM’s Twitter feed at @MDMEMA, or follow MDEM’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MDMEMA. To receive alerts, tips, and resources related to threats and hazards affecting or that may affect Maryland, text MdReady to 211-631 or text MdListo for Spanish.

**PHOTO BELOW: Speakers gather after the press conference. From left to right: Maryland Mesonet Manager James Hyde; Kent County Administrator Shelley Heller; Caroline County Emergency Management Division Chief Doug Jones; National Weather Service (NWS) Director Ken Graham; and Maryland Department of Emergency Management (MDEM) Secretary Russ Strickland**