|
Last month we informed you about “Do 1 Thing,” an exciting
web-based program designed to prepare your family for emergencies throughout
the year. We hope you were able to participate in the January theme of “Make a
Plan.” If not, we encourage you to take part in next month’s theme:
“Water.”
Water is an essential element to survival and a necessary item in an emergency supply kit. During the month of February, take action to store three days
worth of water for your household.
“Do 1 Thing” offers the following list of
ways to achieve this goal:
- Purchase and store a 72-hour supply of
commercially bottled water;
- Bottle a 72-hour supply of water at home; or
- Learn how to provide a safe supply of
drinking water for your household in a disaster.
By completing one of these actions, you’ll
be better prepared for the unexpected.
Also, you will be participating in America’s PrepareAthon!, a national
campaign to prepare for hazards specific to your community through drills,
group discussions, and exercises. Register your action on the campaign’s website. Be
counted among the two million preparedness actions already taken by families,
businesses, and organizations across the country leading up to National
PrepareAthon! Day on April 30, 2015.
There are seats available for Community
Emergency Response Team (CERT) courses in February at the Emergency
Management Institute in Emmitsburg, MD. The E0427 CERT Program Manager and the E0428 CERT
Train-the-Trainer courses are offered February 23-27, 2015.
Students who wish to take both courses must submit a separate application for each
course.
The E0427 CERT Program Manager course is
intended for current CERT Program Managers or professionals and volunteers who
are interested in being a local CERT Program Manager. You will learn the core
components of a local CERT program and effective practices for:
- Developing
local CERT program goals and a related strategic plan;
- Promoting local
CERT programs;
- Orienting,
managing, and retaining CERT members;
- Recruiting,
funding, managing, and retaining CERT trainers.
The CERT Train-the-Trainer course includes:
- Delivering the
CERT Basic Training;
- Conveying the
messages and intent of the CERT Program; and
- Creating a
comfortable yet managed learning environment.
These trainings are a great way to learn, not just from the seasoned
instructors who teach the class, but also from the participants who hail from
CERT programs throughout the country. Take advantage by enrolling today!
We
asked and you delivered! Thank you to everyone who participated in making the
2015 Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day of Service a success and for sharing
your acts of kindness with #MLKDay. Thousands of Americans made it a “day on,”
giving back to their communities and helping those in need. In honor of this
occasion, we’d like to highlight a few of the ways organizations such as AmeriCorps
and the American Red Cross impacted local areas.
From
neighborhood beautification to building homes, local AmeriCorps
Alums chapters celebrated Dr. King’s legacy of service. Volunteers
from the Austin, TX AmeriCorps Alums joined Austin Mayor Stephen Adler and
community members in cleanup efforts along Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard in
East Austin. In addition, the Denver AmeriCorps Alums served with Habitat for
Humanity to build houses in the area.
To
keep homes safe, and in support of their new Home Fire
Preparedness campaign, American Red Cross volunteers spent the holiday
weekend installing
smoke alarms and distributing fire safety information
to residents in high-risk communities. Take a look at the photos
posted on the American Red Cross Twitter page to see these volunteers in
action.
A
number of other groups, government agencies, individuals, and families across
the nation also made this holiday successful. Check out the collection of MLK Day photos
and messages from the Corporation for National and
Community Service to see how volunteers made a difference in communities
nationwide.
If you’re looking for more ways to volunteer in your community, consider
joining your local Fire Corps program. Fire
Corps allows community members to
support their local fire and EMS departments in a non-emergency role, which enables
department members to focus on emergency response and training.
Fire Corps volunteers use
their skills to assist with various tasks, including:
- Providing food and water to first responders;
- Conducting fire prevention and life safety
education; and
- Distributing disaster preparedness materials.
Recently, members of the Burbank Fire Corps program in Burbank, CA engaged with the community to spread the
preparedness message during several local events. At a shopping event called
Ladies Night Out, volunteers set up booths with emergency preparedness
information, passed out pamphlets about smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and
encouraged residents to sign up for the Burbank Fire Department’s EMS subscription program.
At another event, Burbank
Fire Corps shared safety information with kids during an outdoor movie screening
and family day. All events were a great opportunity to provide tips for
personal, household, and community preparedness.
Interested in serving? There
are more than 1,500 Fire Corps programs in the U.S. and more than 21,000
volunteers. Find a program near you and volunteer today!
Disclaimer: The reader recognizes that the
federal government provides links and informational data on various disaster
preparedness resources and events and does not endorse any non-federal events,
entities, organizations, services or products. Please let us know about other
events and services for individual and community preparedness that could be
included in future newsletters by contacting citizencorps@fema.dhs.gov.
|
