Participate in National PrepareAthon! Day
National PrepareAthon! Day is Thursday, April 30, 2015. Twice a year America's PrepareAthon! – a grassroots campaign for action to get people better prepared for emergencies – promotes National PrepareAthon! Days, bringing attention to our progress toward creating a more resilient nation. To reach this goal, the campaign calls on all communities to practice preparedness actions now and throughout the year for the types of emergencies that could happen in their area.
America's PrepareAthon! prepares families, organizations, and communities for many common hazards including earthquakes , floods , hurricanes , tornados , wildfires , and winter storms . There are 10 ways to participate in the campaign such as downloading alerts and warnings , holding a drill, or collecting critical documents .
So far, more than 7.5 million people are participating in America's PrepareAthon! events. If you haven't had the opportunity to take action, we encourage you to plan an activity and register today ! When you submit your activity, you can now be recognized as a campaign participant. Just click “yes” to be listed.
You can also see individuals, communities and organizations taking action to prepare for disasters. Click on the “America's PrepareAthon! Participants” tab located on the lower left side of the homepage.
For more information, visit www.ready.gov/prepare .
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Helping Those Impacted by the Earthquake in Nepal
On April 25, 2015 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Nepal with devastating force unseen by the country since 1934. In the wake of the devastation, the Corporation for National & Community Service (CNCS) indicates tens of thousands of people are reportedly seeking shelter, and aftershocks are hindering rescue efforts.
The most effective way to assist in the disaster relief efforts is by making monetary contributions to reputable relief organizations. Visit the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for a list of non-governmental organizations that have issued appeals for donations. The list is provided by the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI).
Learn more about ways to help with relief efforts .
Earthquakes can also happen in the United States. Visit the America's PrepareAthon! website to get information on earthquakes and other hazards that may threaten your community.
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Medical Reserve Corps Takes Part in America's PrepareAthon!
During the month of April, the Division of the Civilian Volunteer Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is sharing information on different home health hazards each week, culminating in a carbon monoxide, smoke and fire prevention call down exercise on April 30. The exercise is an America's PrepareAthon! event and part of MRC's month-long Healthy Home program designed to bring awareness to hazards including lead, mold, and carbon monoxide.
The call down exercise is built around taking a simple, meaningful action. On April 30, MRC Regional Coordinators will send MRC unit leaders the following message: “Have you checked the carbon monoxide detectors and smoke alarms in your home within the last 60 days?” Unit leaders will be asked to share the message with volunteers, who will also respond. At the end of the exercise, responses will be tallied and reported to the MRC network.
“This is a simple ask that has profound consequences. As a network, we stand at nearly 1,000 units strong, with over 200,000 affiliated volunteers. My hope? That people respond and say ‘yes,' and lots of them. If we can make our MRC community a bit safer, then we have accomplished a great deal,” said Kristen Lepore, MRC Region II Regional Coordinator.
In April, the MRC posts social media and sends direct email messages to nearly 1,000 local units, profiling a different home health hazard each week and highlighting critical resources. Throughout the month, leaders from each local MRC unit are encouraged to share the messages with their 206,000 volunteers.
“We want to see a nation that is prepared for any emergency situation and that is able to adapt, respond, and recover when one occurs,” said Captain Rob Tosatto, Director of MRC. “It is essential for all of us to develop resilience as individuals and communities, and it is gratifying to see the Medical Reserve Corps undertaking strong efforts to make that happen.”
M RC, a Citizen Corps partner program , is a national network of volunteers, organized locally to improve the health and safety of their communities.
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Join the Extreme Precipitation Hangout
After National PrepareAthon! Day on April 30, 2015, get ready for Extreme Precipitation! Hurricanes, tornadoes and floods are just some of the weather-related hazards you may face this spring. Learn what it takes to serve communities impacted by these and other hazards by joining the Extreme Precipitation Hangout on Friday, May 1, 2015 at 12:30PM Eastern Time.
Hosted by the American Astronautical Society, American Meteorological Society and the International Association of Emergency Managers, Extreme Precipitation is presented by Northrop Grumman and is devoted to discussing the impacts and mitigation of heavy precipitation events to help create a Weather-Ready Nation .
Hear from featured panelists, including Gwen Camp, Director of FEMA's Individual and Community Preparedness Division, as they discuss ways to protect your family and home during extreme weather.
Got questions about hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and other hazards? Ask during the Hangout using #ExtremeWx on Twitter.
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Teen CERT Webinar
After an emergency event, schools must sometimes wait for first responders to arrive. To equip students, staff, and schools with basic response skills and emergency preparedness concepts, FEMA established the Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program to support high schools, which has been adapted from the adult CERT program.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools Technical Assistance Center, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Healthy Students, will be hosting a webinar on Teen CERT and how schools may use it to engage youth in school emergency management planning and promote student preparedness.
This webinar will provide an overview of FEMA's Teen CERT program along with examples of how schools and districts are using Teen CERT to support their emergency preparedness and response efforts.
Title: Teen CERT - Enhancing School Emergency Management through Youth Engagement and Preparedness
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2015
Time: 2:00 – 3:00pm (ET)
Guest Speakers:
- Dante Randazzo, Program Specialist at FEMA's Individual and Community Preparedness Division
- Susan Graves, Safety Coordinator of Oregon's Lincoln County School District
How to Join the Webinar:
- Registration Web Link
- The webinar will conclude with a 15-minute Q&A session and offer closed captioning.
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Dates for Your Calendar!
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