|
| 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 -FEMA Updates
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A brief Message from the Individual and Community Preparedness Division
While we support ongoing Sandy recovery efforts and recognize the amazing efforts of emergency managers, volunteers and citizens, we want to continue to provide you helpful tools and resources on Sandy and other emergency events. As always, please share your thoughts and stories with us and let us know what topics interest you. You can email comments or suggestions to us at citizencorps@dhs.gov .
Donate and Volunteer in Times of Need
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to work alongside its many whole community partners, such as the Corporation for National and Community Service , the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD) , and others as the response efforts to Hurricane Sandy and the recent Nor'easter continue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For Those Who Want to Help
Volunteer
Affiliate with existing non-profit organizations before coming to the disaster area . Contacting and affiliating with an established organization will help to ensure you are appropriately trained to assist in the most effective way.
Be patient: Recovery lasts a lot longer than the media attention. Communities will need your help for many months, often years, after the disaster - especially as they begin to rebuild.
Learn more : Several state and local agencies will be looking for volunteers to help with disaster recovery. Learn more about volunteering by visiting the links below.
Citizen Corps
Community Emergency Response Team
Medical Reserve Corps
American Red Cross
Give Blood
The need for blood rises during disasters. You can locate information about donating through the American Red Cross or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.
Cash Contributions
Cash donations are very useful in situations where supplies must be acquired quickly. This is the most efficient way to make an impact.. If you need help in determining who to give to, the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster website has a list of major nonprofits active in disaster work or you can make your offer through the National Donations Management Network .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mobile Applications Before, During and After a Disaster: Going Further with Social Media
Disasters happen but thanks to the smartphone revolution, disaster preparedness is as easy as downloading a few apps. Designed as a way for users to access disaster preparedness, response or recovery information at their fingertips, many mobile apps feature important updates, articles and safety tips. Below are a few mobile applications you can download today:
FEMA recently honored the North Dakota State University with its 2012 Individual and Community Preparedness Award for “Innovative Use of Technology” after designing two mobile apps: Disaster Recovery Log and the Winter Survival Kit . To view other mobile applications, visit http://apps.usa.gov/accessible.shtml .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CERT Volunteers Support Response and Recovery Efforts
Dozens of FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members have been doing double duty in response to Hurricane Sandy— preparing communities for disasters and helping survivors with their recovery efforts. Check out just a few of the many examples below:
- Wilton, CT: CERT volunteers manned the town's official emergency shelter, assisted in distributing drinking water to residents at the town fire department, and helped assist in traffic control at residential structure fire.
- Cohasset, MA: CERT volunteers made phone calls to check that community members were okay and had food, water and batteries. Additionally, the team went to the homes of those individuals participating in the Visual Emergency Notification System, which requests emergency responders check on them in the event of an emergency.
- Parma, NY: Members of Parma's volunteer Community Emergency Response Team were mobilized on Halloween, canvassing streets in various parts of the city, checking on the welfare of residents. Those without power were either offered rides by CERT members to a nearby shelter to stay warm or were directed to the shelter itself, where additional CERT members were stationed.
- High Bridge, NJ: CERT members were operating a 24/7 warming center with ice, water, beverages and charging stations available out of a local Rescue Squad Building.
To all of the volunteers across the country who have helped during recent disasters or who continue to help after Sandy - Thank you !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Don't Be Scammed
Giving whether by volunteering or making a monetary donation is a great way to help those affected by a disaster. It is through the generous donations of others that help make the recovery process that much easier. Although giving is a very noble action, it is unfortunate that scams increase after a disaster. The Federal Trade Commission warns to expect scams that prey on those affected by a disaster and those hoping to contribute to the recovery.
Here are a few tips to protect you from scams:
- Donate to charities you know and trust. Contact the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance at www.give.org .
- Don't donate to unknown individuals that post their needs on social media sites.
- Do not give out personal or financial information unless you know the charity is reputable.
The FTC also offers this great charity checklist to ensure your donation benefits the people and organizations you want to help. If you suspect or have been the victim of a charity scam, you can file a complaint with the FTC.
Dates for Your Calendar!
November is National American Heritage Month
November is Social Media in Emergency Management
November is Cooking and Fire Safety |
