Recovery in Joplin; Hurricane Proof Your Summer Plans! More details inside….

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent this bulletin at 05/22/2012 05:18 PM EDT

Community Preparedness Digest:

Joplin Tornado - One Year Later

Vacations vs. Hurricanes

Apply Your Talents at the Federal Level

Thanking Our Nation’s EMS Practitioners

Youth Preparedness Coming to Michigan

Students Learn to Evacuate

Be heard….Email comments or suggestions to us at citizencorps@dhs.gov.    

DHS and FEMA Updates

Remembering and Recovering in Joplin, Missouri

Today marks one year since a tornado swept through Joplin, Missouri destroying some 7,500 buildings and claiming the lives of 161 people. In the year since the tornado, residents and volunteers have worked to support individuals and families recover from this devastating event and to rebuild a more resilient community. In fact, this past weekend President Obama delivered Joplin High School’s commencement address in a rebuilt school. And last week, members of Joplin city government and emergency management joined FEMA Deputy Administrator Rich Serino at the Missouri Southern State University for his monthly FEMA Think Tank series call to discuss the ongoing recovery efforts and how to help communities prepare for disasters. As the nation celebrates the resiliency of this community and remembers all those affected, we hope the many news stories will serve as a reminder of the importance of getting your family, home, or business prepared before a disaster strikes. While we cannot control where or when tornadoes will occur, we can all take steps now to lessen their impact on our lives. For more on getting prepared before tornadoes or severe weather events, visit www.Ready.gov/tornadoes.

 

Vacations vs. Hurricanes

As the summer months approach, Americans across the country are beginning to plan for their annual vacations. Communities, particularly coastal towns and cities, are preparing for the influx of tourists flocking to beaches. Memorial Day Weekend generally marks the beginning of summer vacation season with millions of individuals travelling - especially by car. In addition to vacations, summer also brings the threat of hurricanes – which may trigger evacuations, flooding and other severe damage. Now is the time for Citizen Corps Councils and emergency management agencies to begin promoting hurricane awareness activities, particularly in advance of and during National Hurricane Preparedness Week (May 27 – June 2).

 

If travelling to a hurricane prone state – especially coastal states – this Memorial Day Weekend, or any time during the summer into the early fall, be sure to familiarize yourself with the emergency plans of the community in which you’re vacationing. All hotels and motels should have emergency plans in place for sheltering and/or evacuation – ask to see them upon check-in. Remember, hurricane hazards come in many forms, including storm surge, heavy rainfall, inland flooding, high winds, tornadoes and rip currents. If you’re driving, be sure to have emergency supplies in your car, such as, a flashlight, water and a first aid kit. Be mindful that coastal areas are prone to severe flooding – so know the evacuation routes in your vacation spot and always remember if you come upon a flooded roadway in your vehicle, Turn Around, Don’t Drown!

Finally, take a moment and review a recent hurricane preparedness webinar featuring presentations from a local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) leader in Connecticut and an emergency manager in Florida! You can also Pledge to Prepare by joining the National Preparedness Coalition where you can interact with colleagues across the country, share your experiences, and learn what they’re doing to keep their communities safe. With these tips in mind you’ll be sure to have a safe and fun summer vacation!            

 

Become a Federal Champion of Community Preparedness

Do you have a passion for preparedness and the subject matter expertise to support FEMA’s mission for creating a more resilient nation? If so, FEMA wants you! FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD) is seeking a program specialist to assist with individual and community preparedness efforts including implementing ICPD programs at a National, Regional, State and local level.

 

Click here for the full job announcement!  

 

Citizen Corps Partners and Affiliates Updates

 

Celebrating Those Who Provide Emergency Medical Services!

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals provide their communities with the quick medical care and actions individuals need in times of emergency. Whether responding to home calls via ambulance or to the scene of a major incident, our EMS practitioners nationwide deserve our thanks during National EMS Week May 20 – 26.

 

A great way for individuals to celebrate EMS week and strengthen public health, emergency response and community resiliency efforts is to join the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), a proud partner of Citizen Corps. The MRC coordinates skills of practicing and retired physicians, nurses and other health professionals as well as other citizens interested in donating their time and expertise throughout the year as well as during local emergencies and other times of community need. The MRC program strengthens community resilience and helps build capacity for first responders through the use of volunteers.

 

Many EMS and public health agencies are represented in Citizen Corps Councils and, in fact, according to the most recent Citizen Corps Council Registration and Profile Data Report, nearly half of all Citizen Corps Councils in the United States (46 percent) support MRC efforts!

 

Thank you to those EMS practitioners who dedicate themselves to keeping us safe every day!

 

Youth Preparedness Comes to Lansing, Michigan

On Tuesday, June 12, FEMA Region V and Citizen Corps will join the Michigan Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division in Lansing, Michigan for a day-long workshop about implementing youth preparedness in community-based organizations. This workshop is designed to provide the information necessary to start integrating youth preparedness into any organization’s existing youth offerings or to build a youth preparedness program from scratch.

 

Youth workshop attendees will receive live instruction and a “how-to” guide on key topics, including: 

  • Engaging Partners 
  • Identifying Curriculum
  • Implementing Your Program
  • Promoting Your Program
  • Evaluating Your Program
  • Sustaining Your Program

Throughout the day, attendees will also interact with and learn from experts who have developed and delivered some of the most successful youth preparedness programs in the country. Additionally, participants will collaborate with these experts and their fellow peers in a series of hands-on activities that will produce some of the tools and inputs needed to implement an effective program. 

 

Please RSVP for this event by May 29

 

About this FEMA Workshop 

DATE:             Tuesday, June 12, 2012

TIME:                         Registration begins at 8:30 AM, Workshop runs from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM EDT 

LOCATION:    Michigan Technical Education Center on the West Campus of Lansing Community College (5708 Cornerstone Dr.)

RSVP:             Please contact the Michigan Citizen Corps via e-mail (emhsd-citizencorps@michigan.gov) 

Please include your name, title, organization name, and phone number.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

For additional information about FEMA’s youth programs, please contact FEMA’s Youth Director, Regina Moran. If you are unable to attend the workshop, but still want to learn about youth preparedness, please visit FEMA’s Youth Preparedness page, which includes a Catalogue of Youth Preparedness Resources, Recommendations for Youth Preparedness and instructions on how to sign up for FEMA’s Children and Disasters email updates. In addition, the U.S. Department of Education has excellent resources, many of which can be found on their Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) website.

 

Lincoln, Illinois Prepares its Youth

Kudos to Lincoln, Illinois for bringing youth preparedness to its elementary school students! Students recently participated in a school evacuation drill hosted by the city’s police and fire departments as well as the county emergency management agency. “Being prepared and knowing what to do was the key theme…” as students learned how storms and other emergency situations may require them to move to safer shelter and to talk with their parents and families about what they should do and where they should go during an incident.

 

Citizen Corps and its Councils nationwide are committed to educating youth on the importance of being prepared. In fact, more than half (57 percent) of the country’s Citizen Corps Councils are represented by youth or youth-based organizations, according to the most recent Citizen Corps Council Registration and Profile Data Report. Recognizing the critical role young people can play in preparing their families and communities for disasters and emergency situations, a majority of Councils tailor their public messaging to support youth preparedness as well.

 

Learn more about how you can engage young people in your community and implement a youth preparedness program of your own!        

 

Don’t Forget to Mark These Dates on Your Calendar!

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