|
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
Be heard…Email comments or suggestions to us at cert@dhs.gov
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Read All About It: CERT in Action
Get the latest news about Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) nationwide in the CERT National Newsletter. This publication offers updates on the CERT Program, highlights successes of local programs on the ground and provides valuable information for current and prospective CERT programs.
In the latest issue of the National CERT Newsletter, you will find stories representing the efforts of CERT programs in four states (California, Delaware, Missouri, and Oklahoma). These CERT programs all support emergency preparedness, disaster response and hometown resiliency in their own and in some cases, neighboring communities. This edition includes stories on CERT volunteers responding to a traffic accident, a destructive tornado and apartment fires.
To view the full CERT National Newsletter and past issues, visit http://www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-team-national-newsletter .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEMA Major Disaster Declarations Update
04/08/2013
Oklahoma Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm
Major Disaster Declaration number 4109 on Apr 08, 2013
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Preparedness Makes Good Financial Sense
April is Financial Literacy Month, so help ensure a strong financial future for you and your family by taking simple steps now to make your money work for you before, during and after a disaster or emergency. In partnership with the Financial Literacy Education Commission and Operation Hope, FEMA's Individual and Community Preparedness Division will host a free webinar today from 3:00 – 4:00 PM EDT entitled, “Starting Early: Financial Preparation for Disasters and Emergencies.” Speakers will share information on best practice programs and tools to engage local communities on the often overlooked financial aspect of disaster preparedness.
Don't forget to order free publications from USA.gov to receive tips on retirement benefits, smart saving for college, avoiding financial set backs and more. You'll also get a copy of the Consumer Action Handbook , full of tips on how to avoid scams and fraud to protect your finances.
To register for the webinar, please visit: http://connect.hsin.gov/financiallita/event/registration.html
Please use this link if you are already a registered HSIN user and simply need to log in to the webinar: http://connect.hsin.gov/financiallita/event/registration_login.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Time to Remember, A Time to Prepare Join the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) and FEMA Region III for a one day event on April 30 entitled, “A Time to Remember, A Time to Prepare: A Whole Community Stakeholder Workshop.”
This workshop will focus on current topics of interest and is an excellent opportunity to hear updates from IAEM officials and other subject matter experts to develop collaborative efforts to face current and future challenges in preparedness. Topics will include an overview of lessons learned post Hurricane Sandy, public private partnerships, campus preparedness, legislative updates, funding , effective communications and more.
Registration is limited to 150 individuals. To register, visit http://www.iaem.com/page.cfm?p=events/regional-meetings .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now Accepting Nominations for the Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano has opened the nomination period for the Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience . Be sure to nominate a leader in your community for the Rick Rescorla National Award for Resilience by May 31, 2013. The award recognizes non-governmental individuals or organizations who emphasize leadership in effective disaster preparation, response and recovery efforts.
The Department of Homeland Security created this award in 2012 in memory of Richard “Rick” Rescorla, a hero of 9/11, who gave his life helping his colleagues safely evacuate the World Trade Center. In 2011, Secretary Napolitano posthumously awarded Mr. Rescorla with the Department's highest honor, a DHS Distinguished Public Service Medal. Find out more about the award and learn how to nominate someone from your community at http://www.dhs.gov/rick-rescorla-national-award-resilience .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Be Ready for Disasters at Any Age
The likelihood of recovering from an emergency tomorrow often depends on the planning and preparation done today. Each person's abilities and needs are different and should be included in disaster plans. Emergency managers are urging all Americans, in particular the elderly who can be especially vulnerable when disasters strike, to review and update disaster plans.
Some steps you can take at home or in your own community include:
- Speaking with adult living facility administrators about specific disaster plans.
- Creating a network of neighbors, relatives and friends to aid you in an emergency.
- Keeping specialized items ready, including extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, catheters, medication, food for service animals and any other items you might need.
- Keeping a list of the type and model numbers of the medical devices you require. Be sure to make provisions for medications that require refrigeration.
Visit www.ready.gov/seniors for more information and tips.
Dates for Your Calendar!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Youth Preparedness Council: Call for Nominations (Only 8 Days Left!)
04/11/2013
The deadline is quickly approaching!
FEMA is collecting applications for the Youth Preparedness Council (YPC) and there are only 8 days left to apply or nominate someone – so hurry and submit your application today!
FEMA's YPC is a unique opportunity for youth leaders to serve on a highly distinguished national council; to complete a self-selected youth preparedness project; to voice their opinions, experiences, ideas, solutions and questions on youth disaster preparedness with the leadership of FEMA and national organizations working on youth preparedness; and to participate in a Youth Preparedness Council Summit.
Youth can apply on their own or individuals who are familiar with their preparedness activities can nominate them. Applicants/nominees must be between 12 and 17 years old. Applications should emphasize youth disaster preparedness activities that the applicant/nominee has participated in or can be related to a disaster the applicant/nominee has experienced. Application narratives should describe a specific emergency situation and/or example of a disaster preparedness activity that would qualify the nominee to serve on the council.
The application deadline is April 19, 2013.
For more information about the YPC application and FAQs, please visit http://www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness . |
