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.

DHS and FEMA Updates

Social Media + Emergency Management: Talking with Tech Leaders on the West Coast
Social media, text messaging, and the many other technologies and tools available have definitely impacted emergency management.  FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate talked about this in a meeting recently with Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist, and editors from Wired Magazine, Twitter, Apple and Facebook.  They discussed "social media, technology, emergency management, and ways to assist the public in getting prepared, by using the tools they use on a daily basis."  Administrator Fugate posted a blog with details of the meeting and a short video.  Please click here to read the full blog entry and see the video.

“Stop. Think. Connect.” PSA Challenge Deadline Just One Month Away
The deadline for the Stop.Think.Connect. campaign's PSA Challenge is fast approaching! We need your help to get the word out about the importance of staying safe online. Launched in November, the PSA Challenge is looking for creative videos that will help educate Americans about Internet safety and what we can all do to protect ourselves and our families online.  All videos must be submitted by February 14, 2011. The winning public service announcement videos will be posted on the Department of Homeland Security's Stop. Think. Connect. website and will be used to help promote the campaign. Click here to learn more about the PSA Challenge, or view the video from White House Cyber Coordinator and Special Assistant to the President, Howard Schmidt, to find out how you can enter.

Citizen Corps Partners and Affiliates Updates

Start the New Year Right—Engage Your Community for an Impact that Lasts
Celebrate Safe Communities is an initiative of the National Crime Prevention Council and the Bureau of Justice Assistance that was developed in partnership with the National Sheriff's Association in 2008 to encourage and  assist communities across the country to stand together and work together  to prevent crime. Since its beginning, over 150 sites each year have planned events to educate and engage the community, and participation has grown to over 250 sites in 39 states in 2010.  As 2011 gets started, renew your commitment to make a difference, and share with each other what works. We invite you to share your successes from 2010 or your plans to engage the community in 2011 when money and volunteers may be scarce.  What are the strategies you use to create that lasting impact?  For more information about the Celebrate Safe Communities Initiative, please visit www.celebratesafecommunities.org.

9-1-1 Honor Awards Nomination Period Extended to January 29th
The E9-1-1 Institute, National Emergency Number Association (NENA), Association of Public-Safety Communications-Officials International (APCO), National Association of State 9-1-1 Administrators (NASNA), and 9-1-1 Industry Alliance (9IA) want to remind you that nominations are open for the 2010 9-1-1 Honor Awards and due by January 15th.  These organizations, which represent 25,000 emergency communications professionals nationwide, bestow the awards each year to honor heroes and leaders in 9-1-1. The 2011 awards ceremony will take place at the 9-1-1 Honors Gala on Tuesday, March 29th, 2011 in Washington, DC. The Co-Chairs of the Congressional E9-1-1 Caucus have been invited to present the awards.  Descriptions, eligibility requirements, the nomination form, and submission instructions can be found online at www.e911institute.org.

One Week Left to Submit a Nomination for Annual NVFC Awards
Only one week left for you to submit your nomination for one of four National Volunteer Fire Council awards.  By next Tuesday, February 1 honor an outstanding junior firefighter, junior firefighter program, and/or volunteer firefighter in your department or community by nominating them for one of these prestigious awards:  NVFC Lifetime Achievement Award, NVFC Fire Prevention Award, Junior Firefighter of the Year Award, and Junior Firefighter Program of the Year.  The awards will be presented during a special banquet at the NVFC's spring board meeting on April 5 in Alexandria, VA. Recipients will receive a trip to Alexandria to attend the award ceremony, a personalized award, and complimentary one-year membership in the NVFC, among other items. The recipient of the Junior Firefighter of the Year Award will also receive a full set of gear, courtesy of TecGen. Submit your nomination before the February 1 deadline. Click here for full award criteria and nomination forms.

CERT Newsletter - Volume 3 - Issue 3, January 2011
The CERT National Program Office is pleased to present the first 2011 "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.  You will also learn how to promote CERT in your community and see what other programs are doing across the country.  Click here to read the newsletter.

Webinars

We are providing the following links to third party sites for your reference.  FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, or applications.

Webinar:  Emergency Preparedness for Farmers, Ranchers  and other Rural Residents with Disabilities
Persons with disabilities are vulnerable to disasters and farmers/ranchers, family members, and other rural residents with disabilities are no exception.  Join the National AgrAbility Project for a free webinar that explores emergency preparedness for this population group.  The webinar will cover the development of emergency preparedness plans and support networks, sheltering, fire emergencies, mental health issues in emergencies, and more.  The webinar will take place on February 24, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. EST.  For more information and how to register for the webinar please go to http://news.agrability.org/2011/webinar_2-11.html.

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