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| This Citizen Corps News Digest is provided by FEMA's Individual & Community Preparedness Division to highlight community preparedness and resilience resources and activities recently announced by federal agencies and Citizen Corps partners. |
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DHS and FEMA Updates
Children: What FEMA Is Doing For Children and How You Can Help
What FEMA Is Doing For Children
FEMA's Children's Working Group (CWG) was established by Administrator Fugate in August 2009, and is responsible for leading FEMA's efforts, in partnership with other Federal agencies, to ensure that the needs of children are considered and integrated into all disaster planning, preparedness, response and recovery efforts initiated at the Federal level. Read about the CWG's accomplishments and view available resources and news here: http://www.fema.gov/about/cwg.shtm. We encourage you to sign up on the link at the top of the page to stay up to date on what FEMA is doing for children.
NEW! FEMA has released a new resource for Youth Preparedness, the Catalogue of Youth Disaster Preparedness Education Resources created to assist individuals and organizations with locating preparedness resources that are tailored to children and youth.
Explore the USFA's Resources for Children's Fire Safety
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has safety resources designed especially for families and children. Many of their publications are available to download in both English and Spanish. Parents can learn about home fire safety and preventing a home fire at USFA's website www.usfa.dhs.gov. Teachers can download proven lesson plans that will help you teach children basic fire safety at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/kids/lesson/index.shtm. USFA also has an interactive Kids Page where children can learn about fire safety, smoke alarms and home escape plans while completing crossword puzzles, coloring pages, and word searches. After the children have learned about fire prevention and safety, they can take an online quiz to receive a Junior Fire Marshal certificate. Visit USFAs Kids page at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/kids/. Cut your family's chances of dying in a house fire in half by having a working smoke alarm. Practicing fire-safe behaviors and knowing what to do in an emergency can give your family extra seconds to escape.
You Can Protect Children From Fires
During this time of year, the extreme cold temperatures force many families to see alternative forms of heat. Many of which are potential fire hazards. However, according to a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) survey, only one of every three American families have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. For those who have a plan, less than 50% have practiced it. The results of the survey show that families think they have at least six (6) minutes to escape a fire in their home, but realistically, the time it takes to safely escape a fire will most likely be less. Recent news stories have highlighted the tragic deaths of children in home fires.
The NFPA website has excellent free tools available to help prepare and protect children. One contains information and activities for kids:
http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=1803&itemID=42601&URL=Safety%20Information/For%20kids
Another is specifically about fire escaping plans:
http://www.nfpa.org/itemDetail.asp?categoryID=406&itemID=17735&URL=Research%20&%20Reports/Fact%20sheets/Escape%20planning/Basic%20fire%20escape%20planning
These news stories and other Individual & Community Preparedness news can be found on our website at www.citizencorps.gov .
Sincerely,
The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Individual & Community Preparedness Division
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Important! Need to Register Your Council or CERT Program
This Citizen Corps Notification is provided by FEMA's Individual & Community Preparedness Division.
FEMA Announcement
New Registration Initiative for Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs Begins January 25th
FEMA is asking all new and existing local Citizen Corps Councils and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Programs to register on the National Citizen Corps and CERT websites. FEMA has two improved online registries that will demonstrate community readiness efforts of local Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs.
The Citizen Corps Council registry will collect information for each registered Council to highlight:
o Community partnerships and activities among government and civic leaders
o Integration of non-governmental resources into government plans and protocols
o Local efforts to improve personal and organizational preparedness (such as training and education)
o Volunteer programs and volunteer disaster response activities
o Identified needs and resources required to support local initiatives
This effort will recognize the tremendous work accomplished to date and serve as a baseline for future individual and community preparedness and resiliency projects.
Every Citizen Corps Council and CERT Program is required to register if they wish to have a listing in the Citizen Corps and CERT directory on the National Citizen Corps and CERT Program websites. Please note that only Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs may register. The registry is not for individual CERT Teams that are organized within a CERT Program.
More information and guidance documents for registration are available on the Councils and CERT Program registration support pages located at http://www.citizencorps.gov/councils/registry.shtm and http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/registry.shtm. The websites provide a registration fact-sheet, registration questions and contact information for technical assistance and support.
For Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs ONLY
We thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this important and valuable effort. If you haven't already, please visit the Citizen Corps Council and CERT Program registration support pages located at http://www.citizencorps.gov/councils/registry.shtm and http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/registry.shtm. We've provided you with resources that will help guide you through the new registration process and contact information should you have technical difficulties or have a programmatic inquiry and need to reach an expert. We encourage you to review and print the questions for the Citizen Corps and CERT registries prior to system going live on January 25th, 2011 so that you may collect information in advance if needed.
Next week we are offering a series of webinars to walk Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs through the updated system and to allow users to ask questions. Do not worry if you can't make one or both offerings, all webinars will be recorded and posted to the registration support web pages after live sessions occur. Please note that you will only be able to access the webinar 15 minutes prior to show time.
Webinar for State Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Program Coordinators
Monday, January 24th 2011 at 2:00 – 3:00 PM EDT
Webinar access: https://connect.hsin.gov/registry
First Offering: Webinars for local Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs
Citizen Corps Councils: Tuesday, January 25th 2011 at 1:00 – 2:00 PM EDT
CERT Programs: Tuesday, January 25th 2011 at 3:00 – 4:00 PM EDT
Webinar Access: https://connect.hsin.gov/registry
Second Offering: Webinars for local Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs
Citizen Corps Councils: Wednesday, January 26th 2011 at 1:00 – 2:00 PM EDT
CERT Programs: Wednesday, January 26th 2011 at 3:00 – 4:00 PM EDT
Webinar Access: https://connect.hsin.gov/registry
Sincerely,
The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Individual & Community Preparedness Division
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CERT National Program Office Update
Greetings,
The CERT National Program Office is pleased to bring you the first 2011 quarterly "CERT National Newsletter." This is an exciting edition and features an informative story on Haiti CERT's response to the devastating earthquake there a year ago. Also, be sure to read the stories on the rodeo in Guam that refreshes disaster readiness skills, and how a “disability” is a special skill in disguise. And learn how to promote CERT in your community and see what other programs are doing across the country. Click on the following link to read and download the newsletter:
We hope you enjoy this newsletter. If you know of others who would be interested in receiving CERT National newsletters or CERT updates, please have them subscribe at the following website:
Thank you.
Sincerely,
CERT National Program Office
Individual and Community Preparedness Division
Federal Emergency Management Agency
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CERT National Program Office Update - National Newsletter January 2011
Dear CERT Community,
The CERT National Program Office is pleased to bring you the first 2011 quarterly "CERT National Newsletter." This is an exciting edition and features an informative story on Haiti CERT's response to the devastating earthquake a year ago. Also, be sure to read the stories on promoting CERT in your community, a rodeo in Guam that refreshes disaster readiness skills, and how a “disability” is a special skill in disguise. Click on the following link to read and download the newsletter: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/newsletter.shtm These news stories and other Individual & Community Preparedness news can be found on our website at:
Sincerely,
The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Individual & Community Preparedness Division | 
