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

FEMA Deputy Administrator Manning Assists in New Zealand Earthquake Recovery
FEMA Deputy Administrator Timothy Manning was in New Zealand when the recent 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit that country. He remained in New Zealand to assist with response efforts. As a former firefighter, emergency medical technician (EMT), rescue mountaineer, hazardous materials specialist and hydrologist, Mr. Manning offers solid emergency management experience. For a link to Mr. Manning's bio please click here. For two pictures of Mr. Manning working in New Zealand click here and also click here.

Reminder of Webinar Today - FEMA Adminstrator Craig Fugate and Others - Getting Active in Emergency Preparedness
FEMA's Individual and Community Preparedness Division and the DHS Center for Faith-based & Neighborhood Partnerships invites you to a webinar today at 2:00 p.m. EST titled: Getting Active in Emergency Preparedness - Ideas to Help Your Organization Prepare Communities for Emergencies. Join us and organizations from across the country as we share ideas to help get communities active in emergency preparedness. This webinar will discuss specific preparedness activities that organizations can participate in, including the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut, scheduled for April 28, 2011. Organizations will learn about resources available through FEMA and the Ready Campaign. Due to limited capacity of the webinar we are asking you to please submit an RSVP to infofbci@dhs.gov. We look forward to having you join us! Click HERE to join the webinar. Due to the overwhelming response we strongly encourage you to join 10 minutes prior to start time.

Control Systems Security Program (CSSP) Cybersecurity Training
Cybersecurity threats and challenges are growing and so are DHS efforts in this area. Check out the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) Control Systems Security Program (CSSP). This program is an excellent way for you to learn more about cybersecurity. It is provided through an Instructor-led introductory course for Control System and IT professionals or a 5-day advanced course which includes hands-on instruction in an actual control system environment. On-line introductory cybersecurity courses are also available. For more information click here, or contact CSSP@dhs.gov.

Being Prepared - How You Can Respond to an Active Shooter
Although we all hope never to encounter a situation where someone is actively shooting a gun in a threatening manner, preparedness is vital. This guide includes a reference poster (in English and Spanish), a 13 page booklet, and a pocket-size reference card to teach how employees, managers, training staff, and human resources personnel can mitigate the risk of, and appropriately react to, an active shooter situation. For more information please visit http://www.dhs.gov/cfsector and look under 'Retail Subsector' or email the Commercial Facilities Sector-Specific Agency at CFSteam@hq.dhs.gov.

30 Days Left to Register Your Council or CERT Program
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. 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.

Citizen Corps Partners and Affiliates Updates

NOAA: Another Spring of Major Flooding Likely in North Central U.S.
A large swath of the country is at risk of moderate to major flooding this spring, from northeastern Montana through western Wisconsin following the Mississippi River south to St. Louis, National Weather Service flood experts are forecasting. The agency released an initial spring flood outlook for this high risk region and will release a national spring flood outlook on March 17. More on this is available in the NOAA press release along with links to flood related resources. Keep in mind that Flood Safety Awareness Week is March 14 - 18 this year. You can find information on flooding from www.floodsmart.gov also.

New Zealand Radio Amateurs Assist in Earthquake's Aftermath
The 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck the Canterbury region in New Zealand's South Island on Tuesday, February 22 brought out local amateur radio operators according to the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio and a Citizen Corps Affiliate organization. Ten radio amateurs are using their two emergency broadcast vans to keep rescue teams and Civil Defense staff in touch. One is at a major welfare center, providing portable communication so they can talk to Civil Defense, and the other vehicle is assisting search-and-rescue teams in an area where communication is poor. See the full article at here.

Sincerely,

The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Individual & Community Preparedness Division

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FEMA Major Disaster Declarations Update

Connecticut Snowstorm
Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:16:20 -0600

Major Disaster Declaration number 1958 declared on Mar 03, 2011

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