BELVOIR
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September 3, 2020
5 p.m. Reopening Belvoir Virtual Town Hall
Belvoir: Be ready, be safe By Holly Mann Emergency Management Specialist
Remember to selfregister in Fort Belvoir’s ALERT system at Alert. CSD.DISA.MIL and with Fairfax County at www. fairfaxcounty.gov/alerts New information will be added throughout the month on the Fort Belvoir Facebook page at www. facebook.com/FortBelvoir and Twitter at twitter. com/Fort_Belvoir.
S Legal support now available to EFMP families By Devon L. Suits Army News Service
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amilies in the Exceptional Family Member Program now have more resources to reach out to when they have legal questions about their rights. Close to 40 Army legal practitioners recently completed additional training to better support families with special educationrelated needs, said Melissa Halsey, legal assistance policy division chief for the Office of the Judge Advocate General. “Education is important,” she said in an interview Tuesday. “Understanding that a child has received the education that they’re entitled to” dictates a family’s quality of life. “Sometimes, that requires help from a legal assistance attorney to advocate on your behalf.” Tied to a larger Department of Defense-led initiative to bolster legal assistance for all EFMP families, the Army now has a knowledgeable legal representative at 22 of its installations, spread throughout 15 states and parts of Germany, Halsey added. Locations include: Alabama, Alaska, California, Colorado, Washington, D.C., Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. Nine of the states currently support the Army’s largest EFMP populations. In total, more than 140 service attorneys, paralegals and EFMP family support providers from all the military services completed a weeklong William & Mary Law See EFMP, page 4
eptember has arrived and it’s time to recognize National Preparedness Month (NPM). As our nation continues to respond to COVID-19, there is no better time to be involved. The goal of NPM is to increase the overall number of people, families, and communities that engage in preparedness actions at home, work, businesses, and schools. The 2020 NPM theme is: “Disasters don’t wait. Make your plan today.”
Get Tech Ready – Be Informed
The 2020 weekly themes for NPM are: • Sept. 1-5—Make a plan. • Sept. 6-12—Build a kit. • Sept. 13-19—Prepare for disasters. • Sept. 20-26—Teach youth about preparedness.
Did you know that Belvoir’s top three hazards are high winds, structure fires and severe thunderstorms? Any of these can occur suddenly and result in the loss of electricity or cellular service; damage to your residence, office, or vehicle; and separation from family members, co-workers, friends or pets. Here are tips and resources to develop or update emergency preparedness plans. STEP 1 Start by answering the following questions: • How will you receive emergency alerts and warnings? • What is your shelter plan? • What are your primary and secondary evacuation routes? • What preparations do you need during Coronavirus? STEP 2 Identify your household’s specific needs:
Tailor plans and supplies to your specific daily living needs and responsibilities. This includes specific communication needs, care for children, business considerations, pets or specific, medical-support needs. Keep in mind some these factors when developing your plan: • Different ages of members in your household • Responsibilities for helping others • Locations frequented • Dietary needs • Medical needs, including prescriptions and equipment STEP 3 Create and print a family emergency plan: Visit ready.gov/plan to download a family emergency plan or use a guide to create your own. STEP 4 Practice your plan with your family/household: Use September to update plans and test them with your household, co-workers and friends.
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Download the Digital Garrison App to receive important garrison updates and notifications sent right to your phone. Also, download the FEMA app to get weather alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five different locations anywhere in the United States.
FCPS Launches Parent Technology Help Desk To support families who are working with their children during virtual learning, Fairfax County Public Schools launched a new Parent Technology Help Desk. The help desk can be reached at 833-921-3277 and will be answered by staff members between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week. FCPS has also set up an online portal, https://itweb. fcps.edu/itsupport/, for older students and parents to request technology help directly.