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From the Washington Times

Americans give peace a fighting chance

Study cites drop in violent crimes

by Jennifer Harper

America is peaceful. No, really.

Though Hollywood and the news media often portray the nation as a chaotic crucible of gangsters and crime, the U.S. is more “peaceful” now than in the past two decades. So says the United States Peace Index, released Tuesday by the Institute for Economics & Peace, a nonprofit research group that based its conclusions on federal statistics on homicides, crimes, police employees, small arms and the jail populations of all 50 states.

“The last twenty years have seen a substantial and sustained reduction in direct violence in the U.S. The homicide rate has halved since 1991, with a concurrent reduction in the violent crime rate from 748 to 399 violent crimes per 100,000 over this period,” the study said.

Some states are more peaceful than others. Maine sits at the top of the list, Louisiana at the very bottom. New Jersey, at No. 28, is more peaceful than New York at 31, while Virginia (25) outranks Maryland (38), and Florida languishes in 47th place.

Peace is cheaper, the researchers insist. “Containing violence” costs the U.S. $460 billion a year for law enforcement and incarceration - or $3,217 for each U.S. taxpayer, the study said.

“What this research really says is that America is a much safer place than the average citizen might think. People are more fearful than they need to be,” Steve Killelea, chairman of the research organization, told The Washington Times.

He said the expansive study is not a “moral judgment,” but practical research.

“The media has a role in creating the impression of violent America. Let's face it. The only big news is bad news, and violence sells,” Mr. Killelea said. “It's complex. Politicians who adopt a tough law-and-order policy, for example, find their programs resonate with people who want to feel safe.”

Other states that share the peaceful limelight are Vermont, in second place, followed by New Hampshire, Minnesota, Utah, North Dakota, Washington, Hawaii, Rhode Island and Iowa.

The least peaceful states after Louisiana are Tennessee, Nevada, Florida, Arizona, Missouri, Texas, Arkansas, South Carolina, Mississippi and Alabama.

The ranking goes into excruciating detail: Cambridge-Newton-Framingham in Massachusetts is the most peaceful metropolitan area in America. Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn is the least peaceful.

The researchers have distanced themselves from touchy-feely notions about peace, and have stuck by the statistics and the numbers.

“It's really important to count, or we have no way of knowing if our policies help or hinder fostering peaceful communities. These studies are a method to get peace away from mere hippie kind of talk and into the hands of the mainstream,” Mr. Killelea said.

Local factors weigh heavily. For example, New York and New Jersey - the “Sopranos” territory - have large police forces.

“The Northeast is once again America's most peaceful region. The Northeast has the highest police-employees rate, however, if New York and New Jersey were factored out, then the [police-employee] rate would be below the national average,” the study says.

Also, the South and its guns shall rise again.

“The South is the least peaceful region in the U.S., with the highest overall score and the highest homicide, violent crime, and incarceration rates, as well as the highest prevalence of gun ownership, and the second highest police-employees rate,” the findings conclude.

“To the cynics, I'd say that some societies are more peaceful than others, and it is worth understanding the reasons why,” Mr. Killelea said. “Whatever the causes, the study of peace is key. And we were conservative in our conclusions. There's still a lot of stuff we could have counted, but didn't.”

The 53-page study can be seen online at www.economicsandpeace.org.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/apr/24/americans-give-peace-a-fighting-chance/

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Pentagon pulls clearances in Colombian sex scandal

by Kristina Wong

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said Monday that service members who possibly were involved in the prostitution scandal in Colombia before the president's visit last week have had their security clearances suspended.

Mr. Panetta spoke to reporters traveling with him on a plane en route to Colombia, where he is scheduled to meet with the Colombian defense minister in his first trip there as secretary of defense.

“My biggest concern is the issue of security and what could possibly have been jeopardized by virtue of this kind of behavior,” Mr. Panetta said.

Eleven military personnel are being investigated for their role in the scandal, but it's not clear how many had security clearances.

Mr. Panetta will be in South America for a week and will visit Colombia, Brazil and Chile.

“This trip is really trying to develop a key part of our new defense strategy, which is to develop and reinforce some very innovative partnerships in a very important region of the world that represents a key security interest for the United States,” he said.

Mr. Panetta said common interests included disaster assistance, humanitarian aid, cybersecurity and countering narco-trafficking.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/apr/23/pentagon-pulls-clearances-colombian-sex-scandal/

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From Google News

A Would-Be Shoe Bomber Testifies in a Terror Trial

by MOSI SECRET

He was supposed to be the other shoe bomber. Saajid Badat said Osama bin Laden himself had dispatched him to board a plane with a bomb sewn in his shoe, which he would detonate in midair as part of a choreographed attack that would crash the American economy.

But unlike Richard C. Reid , a member of Al Qaeda whose unsuccessful attempt in 2001 to detonate explosives in his shoes on a Paris-to-Miami flight changed airport security, Mr. Badat did not follow through with the attack.

On Monday, over 10 years after he backed out, hiding the equipment under his bed in Britain, Mr. Badat testified by video to his role in the shoe-bombing conspiracy in Federal District Court in Brooklyn in the terrorism trial of Adis Medunjanin, a Queens man who is accused of joining his high school classmates in a separate plot to blow up New York subways.

Another admitted terrorist, Bryant Neal Vinas, a Long Island man who fought with Al Qaeda against American troops in Afghanistan, also appeared in court as a government witness on Monday. He had pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

The testimony of the two men was a brief departure from the facts of the subway bombing plot, which federal authorities have called one of the most dangerous threats to America since the Sept. 11 attacks.

Instead, Mr. Badat and Mr. Vinas were called to corroborate facts about the training in Qaeda-run camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Mr. Medunjanin is accused of traveling to one such camp in 2008 along with Zarein Ahmedzay and Najibullah Zazi , who testified last week that the three of them had learned how to make bombs there and had received orders from senior Qaeda leaders, who urged them to return to the United States to stage a terrorist attack. Mr. Ahmedzay and Mr. Zazi have pleaded guilty.

The testimony of Mr. Badat, who served more than a decade in prison after pleading guilty to terrorism charges in Britain, appeared in a video made there.

Mr. Badat said he traveled to Afghanistan in 1999 and came into contact with many of the members of Al Qaeda whom Mr. Ahmedzay and Mr. Zazi recalled meeting in Pakistan nine years later.

Among those he encountered was Bin Laden.

“It was just the two of us in a room, and he explained to me his justification for the mission,” Mr. Badat said of the shoe bomb.

“He said that the American economy is like a chain. If you break one link of the chain, the whole economy will be brought down,” Mr. Badat testified. “This operation will ruin the aviation industry and in turn the whole economy will come down.”

Mr. Badat said Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, had personally wished Mr. Reid and Mr. Badat well on their mission.

Unlike Mr. Reid, Mr. Badat never boarded his flight. He testified that he had been fearful and worried that his family would get dragged into an investigation.

He contacted his Qaeda handlers about his decision but did not inform law enforcement, saying he remained committed to the “jihadist ideology.” He later learned through news reports that Mr. Reid had been stopped by fellow passengers while trying to light a fuse in his shoe.

Mr. Badat was arrested in November 2003. He initially received a sentence of 13 years, but that was cut to 11 years when he agreed to testify against other members of Al Qaeda.

He said he now believed the group's leadership manipulated the people who went to the training camps.

Though Mr. Badat completed his prison term in Britain, terrorism charges are still pending against him in the United States, which was why he refused to come to the country to testify in person. Mr. Reid is serving a life sentence.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/24/nyregion/at-adis-medunjanins-terror-trial-a-would-be-shoe-bomber-testifies.html

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Dangerous booby traps found on popular Utah trail

SALT LAKE CITY— The 20-pound spiked boulder was rigged to swing at head-level with just a trip of a thin wire -- a military-like booby trap set on a popular Utah canyon trail.

Any unsuspecting hiker exploring the makeshift dead-wood shelter could have fallen prey.

Two men arrested over the weekend on suspicion of misdemeanor reckless endangerment told authorities the traps were intended for wildlife, but investigators don't believe the story.

"This is a shelter put together by people, visited by people -- anything that would be impacted by their device would have to be humans," Utah County sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said. "It took some time to build these traps. They took rope, heavy-duty fishing line, and they intended what the traps were going to do."

U.S. Forest Service Officer James Schoeffler came across the trip wires last week while on routine patrol on the popular Big Springs hiking trail in Provo Canyon about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City. Having had previous military hazardous device detection training, Schoeffler immediately knew it was a threat. If not disabled, both devices -- one set to swing down at head-level, the other designed to trip a passer-by into a bed of sharpened wooden stakes -- could have been deadly.

The structure built by the two suspects was easy to see, Cannon said, but the booby traps could have been overlooked by everyone except a military-trained officer like Schoeffler.

"A lot of people go up there after dark, as well," Cannon said. "We're very, very fortunate that it was Officer Schoeffler who found it."

The U.S. Forest Service has not made Schoeffler available for an interview. Authorities said he disabled the traps after taking photos and video of the site.

Cannon said the traps were just a half-mile from a busy trailhead.

"Who goes up this trail thinking, I'm going to have to look out for booby traps?" he said. "A kid could say, `Oh cool, a shelter,' and run right across the trip line."

Days after Schoeffler made the discovery, a tipster alerted authorities about comments on Facebook that mentioned the traps and the shelter. Detectives then tracked down the suspects, Cannon said.

Benjamin Steven Rutkowski, 19, of Orem and Kai Matthew Christensen, 21, of Provo were booked in the Utah County Jail on Saturday and released on bail.

Prosecutors believed the misdemeanor reckless endangerment allegations were the strongest claims they could pursue without anyone being injured. Charges have not yet been filed.

Rutkowski's father, Steven, declined comment. No phone number was listed for Christensen, and it wasn't immediately clear if either suspect had an attorney.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2012/04/24/dangerous_booby_traps_found_on_popular_utah_trail/

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New Jersey

Police Department Offers Tips for Homeowners to Avoid Theft

The Bloomfield Police Department addresses the increase in recent home burglaries, offering valuable advice for residents

by Linda Federico-O'Murchu

A recent spike in home burglary incidents in Bloomfield was reason for a special meeting last week between concerned residents, Bloomfield Chief of Police Christopher Goul and the Bloomfield Police Department.

After the meeting, Officer Kevin O'Connell of the Community Policing Division released the following Public Service Announcement for residents to safeguard their homes and valuables. Here are some preventative awareness tips for homeowners from the Chief Goul and the Bloomfield Police Department.

1. Is your home well lighted with particular attention to exterior doors?

2. Are all exterior lights and security devices in good working order and protected from breakage?

3. Can your main entrance be seen from the street?

4. Are all trees and shrubs pruned and well maintained to prevent anyone from hiding?

5. Are exterior doors at least 1-3/4 inch thick and made from solid wood or reinforced with metal?

6. Do all exterior doors have heavy-duty dead bolts and reinforced door jams?

7. Have all sliding glass doors been protected from being easily lifted out from their frames?

8. Do trees, drain pipes, lattice work or other structural elements on your property provide easy access to upper floors?

9. Do you have any ladders or tools kept outside assisting any potential intruder?

10. Are you guilty of keeping a hidden house key outside the house where it's sure to be found?

11. Can anyone gain easy access through a mail slot, dryer vent, or pet entrance?

12. Do you keep the overhead doors closed, and your car locked inside the garage? Does the door from the attached garage leading to the house have a dead bolt?

13. Do all windows have reinforced locking devices that can be secured in the open position?

14. Are all irreplaceable items kept in high quality fire resistant safe or in off­site safety deposit box?

15. Have you arranged to have a member of a law enforcement agency do a professional survey?

16. Have you locked all doors and windows even when you are leaving your house for a few minutes?

The Bloomfield Police Department also offered the following advice:

The above steps can go a long way to protecting your home but no matter how secure your residence is, if a professional burglar has targeted your home and is determined to break in, the unthinkable may still happen. To aid law enforcement agencies and greatly assist in insurance claims you should maintain a detailed household inventory of all your valuables.

It makes sense to "mark" important items with some permanent identifying mark. Remember most burglars "fence" stolen items in order to get cash, usually for illegal drugs. You'll greatly reduce the chances of someone walking off with your TV, DVD or other valuables if it has a conspicuous identifying mark that can't be removed. This will greatly reduce its street value and make it too much work to get rid of, and of course it is a lot easier to trace and return the property to the rightful owner.

However, when marking your items do not put information that can be used to commit the crime of identity thief against you. Use the last four numbers of your social security only.

Take phtographs of the items you own. Sweep each room and record the contents from several different perspectives. Take close-ups of really important items. Identify each item by recording the date of purchase, price paid and model and serial numbers. The more information you have about your valuables, the greater the possibility of recovery. It is very important that the information and pictures be kept off the property or they may be stolen or damaged. Keep them in a safe place.

http://bloomfield.patch.com/articles/police-department-offers-tips-for-homeowners-to-avoid-theft#photo-7933143

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Florida

Port St. Lucie approves high-tech surveillance cameras at parks after shooting last month

by CHRISTIN ERAZO

A new park safety plan, unanimously approved by City Council on Monday, will make the city the first on the Treasure Coast to provide park features such as high-tech camera surveillance, three part-time park attendants and basketball park passes, according to city officials.

The plan, crafted by the city's Parks and Recreation and Police departments, also includes the addition of two parks officers and heightened community policing efforts to monitor activity in various parts of the city's 42 parks. Additional lighting in the parks and adjacent parking lots and removal of landscaping in each of the parks that can obstruct police officers' views are also part of the safety plan.

Park attendants and additional police patrols may be added by June, with the installation of 20 $2,500 cameras by September.

The beefed-up surveillance comes as a result of a March 14 shooting on the basketball courts at Sportsman's Park. Sportsman's and Whispering Pines Park, both of which have seen increased levels of crime over the past six months, will be used a pilot to test the new surveillance program.

If successful, the new program could extend to other high-trafficked parks such as Lyngate, McChesney and Rivergate, Parks and Recreation Department director Sherman Conrad said.

Effective immediately, those wanting to use Sportsman's basketball courts will be required to obtain a free court pass available at the Civic Center, Community Center and Minsky Gym. For two weeks, a mobile unit will be available at Sportsman's to issue court passes.

The passes, which will have a person's photo and address, will be used on a trial basis and will be necessary to use the courts from 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Anyone, whether a city resident or not, wanting to use the courts must register and provide park attendants with the pass before entering courts so parks officials can identify who is frequenting facilities.

Court passes will begin with Sportsman's Park and eventually branch out to other basketball courts in Lyngate and Jessica Clinton parks.

All information will be stored in a city database and will be used to identify who enters and exits the courts.

"If something should happen, we know who was on the court during that particular time," said Brad Keen, assistant director for parks and recreation.

The purchase of high-resolution cameras that can pan 360 degrees and zoom across long distances and large areas are also being seen as key in combating crime in city parks. The remotely controlled cameras will allow direct monitoring of trouble spots via police or city computers, and will be sensitive enough to read vehicle tags.

While City Manager Greg Oravec and members of the council praised the new safety measures, Councilman Jack Kelly expressed concerns about heightened video surveillance and the public's privacy.

"This camera thing really goes against my grain," Kelly said. "I'm going to support it because its for the protection of our children. For government to put a camera down the street, I have a real problem with it."

Mayor JoAnn Faiella, Councilwoman Shannon Martin and Oravec argued the cameras were necessary to protect residents and are the future of policing.

Oravec said the additional community policing efforts and three new part-time park attendants will also help drive down criminal activity in the parks and help defuse fights before they escalate. Oravec called the new plan a "silver lining" on the March shooting that placed a spotlight on public safety in the city's parks.

"(Attendants) are instrumental to maintaining public safety in the parks," Oravec said, adding past city budget cuts had eliminated the positions.

Port St. Lucie resident Eleathia Longcope told council Monday she believes the city would benefit from more community policing and volunteering rather than spending thousands on cameras and hiring more staff.

"It sounds nice but expensive and I understand people need jobs, but a lot of it could easily be taken care of with more community, police involvement and presence," Longcope, 38, said. "It will work toward the long-term benefit rather than spending thousands of dollars to say we did something and now we feel better about ourselves. The strength of the community is in the people who live here and not the money they spend."

Conrad said although he feels confident the new measures will improve park safety, they're not foolproof.

"Only through the committed efforts of our residents, our league-recognized users, local law enforcement and our own parks personnel can we attempt to lessen the potential for another serious incident from occurring."

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROPOSED PLAN:

Two additional parks officers and additional sworn personnel

The hiring of three part-time park attendants; two of whom will be assigned to patrol basketball courts at Sportsman's Park. One will be responsible for roving Whispering Pines Park.

The Police and Parks Departments will both pay for 20 24-hour surveillance cameras. Two cameras will be installed at Whispering Pines, Swan, Sandhill Crane, Sportsman's Park, Sportsman's West and Jessica Clinton. Four cameras will be installed at McChesney and Lyngate Parks. Signage will be placed notifying park goers of surveillance.

Posted bulletin boards to remind residents to call 911 to report any suspicious park activity.

Court passes will now be required to use Sportsman's Park basketball courts. Free passes are available to residents and non-residents and can be obtained at the Civic Center, Community Center and Minsky Gym.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/port-st-lucie-approves-high-tech-surveillance-cameras-2321703.html?viewAsSinglePage=true

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California

100 blocks in Oakland to see fewer police

by Matthai Kuruvila

Six months after Oakland Mayor Jean Quan vowed to shower what she called the most violent blocks of Oakland with extra police and social services, the Police Department says it will reduce the number of officers in those areas.

The move comes weeks after residents in the Oakland hills criticized Quan's crime plan, known as the 100-block plan, saying it had resulted in a decrease in officers in their wealthier neighborhoods, which were seeing an uptick in burglaries.

It also comes as police reveal that the crime rate for the city's most serious crimes - including homicides, robberies and burglaries - is up 21 percent compared with this same time last year.

Last year, Oakland reassigned 22 police officers from their community policing beats, including several from hills neighborhoods, to crime-reduction teams working on violence reduction. Much of that violence reduction work took place in the areas of East and West Oakland designated under Quan's 100-block program, which she unveiled in October as her solution to the city's violent crime problem.

But those officers are now going to be sent back to their community policing beats, said Sgt. Christopher Bolton, chief of staff to Police Chief Howard Jordan.

The move will "better serve the community at large," said Bolton.

Bolton and Interim Deputy Chief Darren Allison said last year's reassignment of the officers had been intended as temporary, to see how it worked.

Hills and North Oakland residents had been upset and have been demanding the return of these officers to deal with the rash of burglaries.

In response to concern from hills residents about the increased burglaries, police stepped up patrols, analyzed patterns to catch burglars and increased investigations. On Friday, police announced the arrest of four people in connection with a slew of burglaries and robberies.

The move to restore the community policing officers comes as the department prepares to discuss its policing strategy, which includes Quan's 100-block plan, before the City Council's public safety committee Tuesday.

How police are distributed is always a contentious issue in Oakland, a city of 390,000 residents that has had a chronically understaffed department. Currently, the city has 653 officers.

Quan, in an interview on Monday, said the use of the 22 community policing officers on crime reduction teams was never part of her 100-block plan. She said extra officers in her 100-block plan come from two sources.

Extra officers

One is a $10.7 million federal grant announced in September, which pays for 25 officers for three years. Those officers - who will work on issues of youth violence, human trafficking, and juvenile delinquency around four middle schools - will join the force this summer.

Quan said the other source of extra officers resulted from union negotiations in 2011 that saved the city money and enabled it to hire 34 officers. Those officers went to the 100-block areas, Quan said.

"That's where they went," she said. "They will stay there."

Police, however, say that information is not correct.

"No," said Officer Johnna Watson, the department spokeswoman. "I wouldn't say they went there. We folded them back into patrol."

Although Quan has repeatedly touted her 100-block plan as being a comprehensive solution to the city's public safety problem, the Police Department says little about the effort and at times contradicts what Quan says about her plan.

Crime data specifically tied to the 100 blocks is not included in the report, and Bolton said the department does not break down its data that way.

Displaced crime

Police said that even though shootings have gone down in certain areas, other crimes have risen - such as burglaries in North Oakland and parts of the hills.

"The most noticeable effect of our activity is that crime is displaced," said Bolton. "We don't consider that a complete success, obviously, because we're considering crime citywide."

Beyond law enforcement, Quan says her plan has changed how other city departments operate. Previously, she says, public safety was solely up to the Police Department. Now every department head is accountable.

"We're asking them, 'What can you do differently that will help the 100 blocks?' " she said.

However, the city is not tracking whether requests for other city services like graffiti removal have increased or decreased in the 100 blocks.

Despite all the talk from City Hall, down on Auseon Avenue in East Oakland, some residents say they haven't noticed much help from police or the city.

Police drive by dealers who hang out on corners, said Carissa Martinez, 32, a mother of four who has lived there for 18 years. She has not seen any increase in city services.

"We don't feel any safer today than we would any other day," she said.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/04/23/BAMF1O7PGB.DTL

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From the White House

Combating Sexual Assault in the United States Military

by Lynn Rosenthal

Sexual assault is a pervasive problem in the United States. One in five women report having been raped in their lifetimes, and many experience ongoing physical and emotional trauma related to this crime. The Obama Administration has taken on this serious issue, and has announced new initiatives across the federal government to respond to and prevent sexual assault.

Nowhere is our responsibility greater than in the military. Women and men who step forward to serve our country must be protected from this devastating crime, and offenders must be held appropriately accountable. Secretary Panetta has said loud and clear that sexual assault has no place in the United States military. Together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dempsey, the Secretary is taking important steps toward achieving this vision.

On April 20, Secretary Panetta issued a directive that will require certain sexual assault complaints to be elevated to more senior levels of command. This significant change means that more experienced commanders will be making the initial disposition decisions for these cases. Specifically, the officers handling these cases will be at least in the grade of 0-6, meaning at least a colonel in the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force; a captain in the Navy, and must possess at least special court martial convening authority. This new policy underscores the gravity of these crimes and may give victims greater confidence to come forward.

The Department of Defense (DoD) recently has taken other steps to continue the fight against sexual assault. Victims can now request an expedited transfer to leave their unit or installation and records are retained for a longer period of time making it easier for veterans to file a service-related disability claim. Victim advocacy services and a confidential reporting option are now available to military spouses and adult military dependents, and emergency care will be available to DoD civilians reporting sexual assault while stationed abroad.

Taken together, these policies demonstrate DoD's strong commitment to eradicating sexual assault within the ranks of the United States military. DoD and the Administration will continue to make this issue a top priority. The men and women serving our nation deserve nothing less.

This month we honor both Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and Crime Victims' Rights Week. Learn more here and here about the Administration's commitment to ending sexual assault.

Lynn Rosenthal is the White House Advisor on Violence Against Women.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/04/23/combating-sexual-assault-united-states-military

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From the Department of Homeland Security

Kicking Off National Severe Weather Preparedness Week

by Craig Fugate, Administrator

Today marks the beginning of the first ever National Severe Weather Preparedness Week. This week, we're partnering with NOAA to provide information to the public about the hazards of severe weather and steps people can take to ensure they're prepared.

Every year, thousands of people are impacted by severe weather threats such as tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Last year was the most active year in disasters in recent history, with more than 1,000 weather related fatalities, more than 8,000 injuries.

Every state in the U.S. has experienced tornadoes and severe weather and although some more than others- everyone is at risk and should take steps to prepare for when severe weather strike in your area. Knowing the most common weather hazards in your area, your vulnerability and what actions you should take can save your life and others.

All week long, we're calling for people across the country to pledge to prepare and to be a force of nature in your community by telling your family, friends and neighbors how you prepared for severe weather. By pledging, you're taking the first step in making sure you and your loved ones are prepared for severe weather by developing a family communication plan, putting together an emergency kit and getting involved.

We're asking everyone to be a force of nature by knowing their risk, taking action and becoming an example by sharing what you have done with your family, friends, neighbors and others. I recorded this short video that you can embed on your website to be a force of nature by sharing it with your website visitors.

Visit www.ready.gov/severeweather to pledge, and once you've made your pledge, be a force of nature and share your story on your social media accounts and encourage others to pledge to prepare.

If you're on Twitter, use the hashtag #imprepared and #imaforce to show you've pledged and taken steps to get prepared.

Here is the President's message encouraging the nation to be prepared: Over the past year, devastating storms have tested the fabric of our Nation. From Tuscaloosa to Joplin, the Midwest to Appalachia, tornadoes have leveled communities and left profound suffering in their wake. Thousands of Americans have endured the pain of loss – loss of a home, a job, a dream, a loved one dearly held and forever missed. Yet, as winds have died and rains eased, communities have banded together and demonstrated a simple truth: that amid heartbreak and hardship, no one is a stranger. During National Severe Weather Preparedness Week and throughout the year, we renew our promise to meet a national tragedy with a national response. To help save lives, my Administration is partnering with communities across America to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards, including severe weather. We are working to improve the accuracy of tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings, giving individuals more time to get out of harm's way. And with leadership from agencies across my Administration, we are collaborating with organizations at every level of government and throughout the private and non-profit sectors to strengthen preparedness and build resilience. Our Nation continues to bear the impact of severe storms. When tornadoes swept across southern States and the Midwest earlier this year, we were touched by the echoes of hardship. Many Americans lost their homes and businesses; dozens lost their lives. As we reflect on these tragic outcomes, let us recommit to doing everything we can to protect our families and our communities. I encourage all Americans to prepare an emergency plan and build an emergency kit with food, water, and essential supplies in case of severe weather. When strong storms are approaching, it is critical that individuals and families take action to secure their safety and the safety of those around them. During a tornado warning, find shelter immediately and await instructions from local emergency management officials. This week, we rededicate ourselves to strengthening personal and community preparedness before disaster strikes. To learn more about how to minimize risk before, during, and after tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, visit www.weather.gov and www.ready.gov. – Barack Obama

http://blog.fema.gov/2012/04/kicking-off-national-severe-weather.html