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.

Webinar REMINDER: Money Matters in Disasters Webinar TODAY!

*Webinar Reminder*

Money Matters in Disasters

When: TODAY, Tuesday, April 10 th

2:00 p.m. EDT (1:00 p.m. CT/Noon MT/11:00 a.m. PT)

According to the Insurance Information Institute, forty percent of businesses affected by a natural or man-made disaster never reopen. Additionally, recent findings from the Citizen Corps Personal Preparedness in America Survey found only two percent reported having financial documents in their home disaster supply kit.

Before, during and after disasters strike, FEMA works closely with a number of non-profit, voluntary and faith-based groups who specialize in pre-disaster financial preparedness and assisting organizations and individuals to financially get back on their feet.

Join us today for a Free webinar to hear from these partners, including USDA Cooperative Extension Network and Operation Hope , as they discuss the importance of being financially prepared and why failing to be prepared can create even more stress than the disaster itself.

During the session, you will have an opportunity to ask questions and seek guidance from our Operation Hope and UDSA Cooperative Extension Network partners. Additionally, listeners will learn more about how they can get involved in local initiatives to provide financial literacy, financial preparedness and financial emergency support.

Register/Log in

Register HERE if this is your first time joining a webinar in the Community Preparedness Webinar Series.

Log in HERE if you have already registered for this webinar, have registered for a previous webinar, or if you're a HSIN.gov user.

Nominate a Leader from Your Community for the First Ever DHS Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience

Nominations are now being accepted for the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) first-ever Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience . DHS Secretary, Janet Napolitano announced the creation of this award in memory of Richard “Rick” Rescorla, a hero of 9/11 who gave his life helping his colleagues safely evacuate the World trade Center. The Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience recognizes non-governmental individuals or organizations who emphasize leadership in effective disaster preparation, response and recovery efforts. Find out more about the award and how you can nominate a leader in your area! Be sure to submit your nominations by May 15!

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Citizen Corps Partners and Affiliates Updates

ShakeOut with the Great State of Utah!

What can happen if a 7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes the Wasatch Fault? This video tells you what you could expect and how to prepare your home or business for a major quake. On April 17 at 10:15 a.m. (MT) , join the more than 1 in 4 citizens in the state of Utah who will participate in the Great Utah ShakeOut . The ShakeOut is a live drill created to help people and organizations become better prepared for major earthquakes and practice what protective actions to take when they happen. Even if you are not in Utah, you can still register now to learn how to Drop, Cover, and Hold On, which can reduce injury and death during earthquakes.

Follow us on Twitter for more information! http://twitter.com/#!/citizen_corps

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

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

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Don't Miss Out on the Following Special Announcement from FEMA's National CERT Program

Today's Announcement includes:

New Teen CERT Materials Now Available!

FEMA CERT Update

The New Teen CERT Materials are Here!

Based on the success of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program and the demand to create tools to support the nationwide effort to train teenagers on CERT, FEMA is pleased to announce the following NEW resources :

• Teen CERT web page which includes a new Public Service Announcement and Teen CERT Annexes to the CERT Basic Training and Train-the-Trainer Instructor Guides . To see the new Teen Cert web page, sign into the new CERT Online Discussion Forum !
  
  
• Free National CERT Online Discussion Forum for exchanging information and ideas among CERT members across the country .

By training teens in emergency preparedness and response , you have the ability to empower our nation's future with the skills necessary to protect themselves and assist others in the event of an emergency. Students learn basic disaster response skills including fire suppression, light search and rescue, team organization, disaster psychology, terrorism awareness, and disaster medical operations. Participation in CERT is an excellent opportunity for teenagers to learn preparedness and leadership skills that last a lifetime!

If you are interested in starting a Teen CERT in your school or community, contact your local CERT Program today to learn more about getting started. Additionally, if you are considering integrating youth preparedness into an existing program or want to learn more about sustaining an existing youth preparedness program, the Youth How-To-Guide serves as a great resource for guiding you through the process.

Download these materials today and share your best practices via the CERT Online Discussion Forum on the National Preparedness Coalition Website.

Registration to the discussion forum is FREE ! Once online, you will find discussions about current and groundbreaking preparedness efforts from fellow CERT members across the country and information about new tools and resources such as those on the Teen CERT website! Additionally, the CERT Discussion site offers those already engaged in Teen CERT and youth preparedness to mentor and guide those who are looking to replicate your success.

• If you have not yet registered for the National Preparedness Coalition Website, please do so now to access the discussion board.
  
  
• If you are already a member, you can log in to your account here.

Be a part of this important effort, start or expand your Teen CERT program !