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

National Preparedness Month September 2011: A Time to Remember, A Time to Prepare.

National Preparedness Month (NPM) , sponsored by the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, kicks off this September and you can sign up as a Coalition Member today by clicking here. NPM is held each September to encourage Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses and communities.

This year's slogan is: A Time to Remember, A Time to Prepare . This year also marks the ten year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and as America honors local first responders, FEMA will continue to promote volunteer and community service programs that help us prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, and spread the message that preparedness is a shared responsibility with an ever-expanding team.

For more information on how to get involved in community preparedness and for highlights of events and activities from last year's NPM, check out the NPM 2010 After Action Report.

Summer Fire Safety Tips from FEMA

As skies clear and weather turns warmer, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) warn that careless handling of outdoor grills can ruin parties and picnics -- and entire summers. In 2010, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 8,600 people for fireworks-related injuries, and although the Fourth of July has passed, 73 percent of fireworks injuries occurred between 18 June and 18 July.

"When celebrating the Fourth of July, Americans need to remember to use fireworks, fires and barbecues with care. The best way to enjoy fireworks is to visit public displays held by trained professionals," said Regional Administrator, Region X, Ken Murphy . "Summer holidays should be fun and generate good memories, not pain and remorse. Have fun, but be safe." Click here for fireworks and grilling tips you can follow to remain safe all summer long.

Citizen Corps Partners and Affiliates Updates

USDA Employee Volunteers to Protect South Dakotans from Flood

Paul Sweeney, a USDA employee, volunteered his time and used his knowledge and experience to help a small community build a sandbag dike to protect their homes from rising flood waters. What started out as a one-home effort turned into a project where all the residents along the north side of Suncoast Drive worked together to constructed a community sandbag dike protecting 27 homes. The dike was visited by South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard and North Sioux City Mayor Don Fuxa, who hailed it as an example for other neighborhoods and areas to work together in the flood fight. To view pictures of the dike click here.

Red Cross Continues Disaster Response in New Mexico and North Dakota

With the New Mexico wildfire still out of control, and North Dakota flood waters only slowly receding, the American Red Cross continues to help residents in these communities. It is estimated that the wildfire near Los Alamos, N.M., has burned more than 60,000 acres, which has led to a mandatory evacuation of the entire town of Los Alamos. An additional fire farther south also prompted the evacuation of 300 people on June 29.

As the disaster response continues in New Mexico, Red Cross workers are also at work in North Dakota as part of the ongoing flood response. The Red Cross continues to operate two shelters in the Minot area for people who left their homes after the Souris River overflowed its banks. To learn more about the ongoing disaster response or to learn how you can help click here.

Access FEMA resources for wildfires and floods and learn how to prepare for these disasters.

Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) Leads Emergency Preparedness Training in Hawaii

Citizen Corps Affiliate, Meals on Wheels (MOWAA), Providing National Leadership to End Senior Hunger.

Recent catastrophes have inspired MOWAA to develop plans for maintaining their program during disaster hardships. The tsunami in March showed the Lanakila MOWAA, located in Honolulu, Hawaii, that it needed a better way to deal with disasters.

Meals on wheels groups across the country face similar hurdles. Enid Borden, President of Meals of MOWAA is going nationwide this summer, holding emergency preparedness workshops at its Meals on Wheels affiliates and touting what the organization "can" do during a crisis. Learn more about this article here.

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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FEMA Major Disaster Declarations Update

Arkansas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:19:53 -0500
Major Disaster Declaration number 4000 declared on Jul 08, 2011

Vermont Severe Storms And Flooding
Fri, 08 Jul 2011 22:20:47 -0500
Major Disaster Declaration number 4001 declared on Jul 08, 2011