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.

RESCHEDULED Webinar: Citizen Corps Funding: Structuring Your Program for Sustainability

***RESCHEDULED***

Community Preparedness Webinar Series
Tuesday, July 24
1:30 p.m. EDT (12:30 p.m. CT/11:30 a.m. MT/10:30 a.m. PT)

FEMA's Individual and Community Preparedness Division's Citizen Corps funding and sustainability webinar has been rescheduled for Tuesday, July 24 ! On this FREE webinar you will hear about strategies for meeting community preparedness funding needs. Sustaining your Citizen Corps Council and partner activities is a critical step toward strengthening the resilience of your community in the face of emergency incidents. During times of tight budgets it is important to know how you can maintain the efforts and services you provide to community members. On this webinar you'll hear from subject matter experts regarding planning for program sustainability under new grant guidelines; how you may leverage the 501c3 process to generate sources of revenue; alternatives to becoming a 501c3 entity and how you can maximize private sector and community foundation funding. By ensuring the sustainability of your Citizen Corps programs, you will ensure the stability, preparedness and resiliency of your community. If you're interested in learning more about this subject please plan to join us at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

Register/Log in

Register HERE if this is your first time joining - 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.

If you have questions regarding this event, please contact citizencorps@dhs.gov

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Take Your Talents to the Federal Level!

Do you have a passion for preparedness and the subject matter expertise to support FEMA's mission for creating a more resilient nation? If so, FEMA wants you! FEMA's Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD) is seeking an administrative specialist to assist with essential duties related to keeping the Division's administrative functions running smoothly. The position may start at either a GS-09 or GS-11 depending upon experience.

Click here for the full job announcement!

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Summer Brings Fun and Family, But Also Severe Weather and Hazards

As you're out and about this summer, whether on vacation or staying local, be sure you know what to be aware of during the summer months! Hurricanes and tropical storms are common hazards for coastal areas as we've recently seen with tropical storm Debby and the severe storms that hit Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia this past weekend. Be sure you know the difference between a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning. One of the cascading effects of these storms is severe flooding – always remember if you're driving and come upon a flooded road, Turn Around, Don't Drown ! The summer is a great time for Citizen Corps Councils to ensure their communities are familiar with local emergency plans, evacuation routes, shelter areas and other emergency information. Check out our archived webinars for hurricane specific information!

Severe storms can also prompt lightening strikes which may spark wildfire events. We continue to keep our friends and colleagues in Colorado in our thoughts as they battle severe wildfires. Know what to do before, during and after a wildfire so you are prepared to act. Stay safe this summer!

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School's Out for the Summer – But the Education Doesn't Have to Stop!

Looking for something to keep your kids engaged while they're out of school this summer? Community service and volunteering are the perfect ways to keep them busy and teach them the value of leadership – especially for teens! There are many opportunities for kids and teens to learn about preparedness and help their communities over the summer. Teen CERT is a great way to teach kids basic first aid skills that may help them or others during an emergency!! Take a look at a recent webinar which discussed Teen CERT and schools – it contains helpful information on how to get teens involved.

Citizen Corps has a wealth of resources on youth preparedness and how to get kids involved…look to see what would be the right fit for your family.

Volunteering and community service doesn't have to be limited to kids. Check to see what activities your local Citizen Corps Council and/or partner programs have available. Get to work this summer by finding out what you can do for your community!

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Don't Miss Out on the Individual and Community Preparedness Awards

There are so many people doing so many good things for their communities. It's about time they are recognized for their hard work! The good news is there are awards for that…the 2012 Individual and Community Preparedness Awards! The window to nominate an outstanding leader from your community is only open for another three weeks. Eligible applicants work to make our communities safer, stronger and better prepared for any disaster or emergency event. The Individual and Community Preparedness (ICP) Awards nomination window is only open through July 31, 2012 for activities taking place during the period of January 1, 2011 through June 1, 2012.

Visit the Awards page on our Citizen Corps website for more information on how to apply!

Learn How You Can Get Involved with Service and Conservation

With so many entities dedicated to community service and neighbors helping neighbors, it can be hard to keep track of volunteer opportunities and how different programs are connected to different efforts. The Corps Network is the voice of the nation's 151 Service and Conservation Corps. Currently operating in every state and the District of Columbia, Corps annually enroll more than 30,000 young men and women in service every year. FEMA's Recovery Directorate is hosting a FREE webinar on July 18 which will provide the opportunity to learn more about The Corps Network, service programs and their connections to federal and private efforts associated with service and disaster relief. Don't miss this exciting opportunity to see how you can help!

Date: Wednesday, July 18

Time: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. EDT

Web URL: https://connect.hsin.gov/TCN

Dial-In: 800-320-4330; Pin: 214214#

Don't Forget to Mark These Dates on Your Calendar!

• July 4: Happy Independence Day!
• July 7 – July 12: NAACP Convention, Houston, TX
• July 11 – July 13: FEMA Region I Youth Workshop and Roundtable, Boston, MA
• July 11 – July 13: NACCHO Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA
• July 13 – July 15: National Governor's Association Annual Conference, Williamsburg, VA
• July 13 – July 17: National Association of Counties 77 th Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA
• July 23 – July 24: 2 nd Annual Conference on “Building Resilience through Public-Private Partnerships, Colorado Springs, CO
• July 23 – July 27: School Safety Advocacy Council's 7 th Annual School Safety Conference, Orlando, FL
• July 31: Deadline for submitting nominations for the 2012 Individual and Community Preparedness Awards

Follow us on Twitter for more tips and recommendations! We want to hear your suggestions on how we can improve our communications to you, be sure to email us at citizencorps@dhs.gov .

FEMA Major Disaster Declarations Updates

Florida Tropical Storm Debby
Major Disaster Declaration number 4068 declared on Jul 03, 2012

Minnesota Severe Storms And Flooding
Major Disaster Declaration number 4069 declared on Jul 06, 2012