Stand Ready. Step Forward. Be Prepared to Serve When It Matters Most.

Thank you to all WSP inspectors for your professionalism, commitment, and mission focus. As peak hurricane season approaches, readiness matters. FEMA deployment opportunities can arise quickly, and inspectors who are trained, credentialed, available, and prepared will be best positioned to respond.

WSP remains committed to creating deployment opportunities for inspectors at all experience levels. As assignment opportunities arise, we will continue working to deploy and develop less-experienced inspectors whenever operational requirements allow. The best way to position yourself for these opportunities is to remain trained, available, and deployment ready.

The Atlantic hurricane season traditionally reaches its peak around September 10, and the weeks ahead can bring rapidly developing storm systems across the Atlantic basin. In addition to hurricane season approaching quickly, WSP is monitoring potential FEMA award activity tied to requested declarations and recent flood and storm impacts in Louisiana, Texas, Guam, Indiana and other affected areas.

We are also watching broader flood and storm risks nationwide, including the potential for El Niño-driven atmospheric river events on the West Coast that could bring heavy rain, flooding, debris flows, and elevated impacts in recent or ongoing wildfire burn areas. These conditions reinforce the need for every inspector to remain deployment ready. 

Do not wait for the next declaration notice to get ready—get ready now. Visit the WSP Inspector Webpage. Complete required training, confirm your availability, practice in the ACE sandbox, and monitor deployment communications closely. Inspectors who are fully prepared will be best positioned to answer the call quickly when declarations happen.

Preparing before an assignment can make all the difference. WSP's ACE Sandbox has been updated to reflect the latest changes and enhancements to FEMA's ACE software, giving inspectors an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the current system before deploying to the field.

"The ACE sandbox gave me the chance to refresh the process before deployment, work through the steps at my own pace, and feel more confident that I would be ready when assigned. It is a practical way to prepare before the pressure of a live response.” — WSP Inspector

As part of your personal readiness activities, consider logging in this week to refresh your knowledge, practice key ACE workflows, and explore the latest system updates. You can access the ACE Sandbox through Menu > ACE Sandbox on your Inspector Webpage or directly by using this link.

WSP extends a sincere thank you to every inspector who has completed required courses, prioritized badge renewals, and taken the steps needed to prepare for deployment. Your commitment has contributed to thousands of course completions and reflects the readiness our mission requires. These efforts strengthen our ability to support FEMA and help disaster survivors when they need assistance most. Thank you!

WSP’s successful three-day ISO 9001 recertification audit reaffirmed the strong quality culture behind our work. This achievement reflects disciplined processes, continuous improvement, and a shared commitment to supporting FEMA and disaster survivors with consistency, readiness, and service excellence.

“Excellent outcome. On visible programs like this, it is so important for the client to see we have a great quality program, great people, and great focus on continual improvement so their organization is never questioned on Supplier credentials. Great work by all!” 
— Joseph J. Sczurko Jr., President, WSP USA

“TO THE FEMA TEAM: WOW – GREAT WORK by all!! … You all are WORLD CLASS – doing amazing work under tight timelines and high-stress missions, and you came through with flying colors!! WELL DONE!!”
— Todd Semonite, Federal Regional Executive, WSP USA

In early August, WSP completed its annual operational training exercise with FEMA, reinforcing readiness, coordination, and our shared commitment to supporting disaster survivors. The scenario centered on a Category 4 hurricane making landfall along the South Carolina coast, moving northwest, and then stalling southwest of Charlotte, North Carolina, for 72 hours—causing extensive flooding and wind damage across the region.

“The exercise was well structured and organized, easy to follow, and allowed the team to evaluate readiness, identify risks, and improve capabilities.”
— FEMA Feedback

WSP recently completed Task Order Performance Support (TOPS) Team training in Winchester on July 28–29 with 21 experienced, adjudicated field inspectors. The two-day workshop strengthened deployment readiness, expanded leadership capacity, and prepared the team to support headquarters and field operations during concurrent declarations, surge staffing needs, and complex disaster events.

"The workshop gave me a much better understanding of how WSP's various departments support disaster operations and where TOPS members can provide surge support. It also created valuable opportunities to build relationships with staff we may work alongside during future deployments."
— WSP Field Services TOPS Team Member

Before departing for a disaster assignment, take a few moments to verify that you are deployment-ready. Confirm that your vehicle, phone, charger, weather alerts, FEMA ID badge, medications, basic supplies, and travel resources are ready. This includes having sufficient credit or available funds for fuel, lodging, meals, and other deployment-related expenses. Conditions in the field can change rapidly, so remain alert, follow local guidance, avoid unsafe roads or damaged structures, and never rush an inspection at the expense of safety. A well-prepared inspector is a safer, more effective inspector.

WSP continues to recruit qualified, mission-minded individuals who are ready to support disaster response work—and your referrals can make a meaningful difference. If you know someone who has the professionalism, flexibility, and service mindset to succeed in this role, please encourage them to visit the Join Us page to learn more and begin the process of joining our dynamic team.

Encourage prospective candidates to explore our Frequently Asked Questions to better understand the inspector role, registration process, training expectations, credentialing, and next steps toward becoming deployment ready. They can also visit Voices from the Field, where highly successful WSP inspectors share practical advice, lessons learned, and what it takes to become one of the best. Please encourage interested referrals to review these resources and begin registration as soon as possible.

Storm and flood activity is increasing, and every readiness step matters. Please visit the WSP Inspector Webpage and complete your training, confirm availability, consider using the ACE Sandbox, review the FAQ section, and stay alert for deployment communications. Your preparation strengthens WSP’s ability to support FEMA with confidence and help disaster survivors when they need us most.

The Inspector Webpage FAQ section is designed to help answer common questions and serve as a quick refresher on important deployment, training, and operational topics as you prepare for future assignments.

Thank you for your continued commitment, professionalism, and willingness to serve. Your readiness makes a difference—to WSP, to FEMA, and most importantly, to the survivors and communities counting on us.

Sincerely,

Jarad Kapsa, FEMA IHP Field Services Managing Director

WSP USA Field Services