Meet Your FEMA Corps Team for Region 2

By Region 2 FEMA Corps Team

An AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps team has been serving with Region 2’s National Preparedness Division on several individual and joint emergency preparedness projects since their arrival to the region in July. With educational backgrounds in Criminal Justice, Engineering, Foreign Affairs, History, and Psychology, this team brings unique perspectives and a diverse range of skills and work experience to their service. Members hail from across the United States representing Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, and Virginia.

The team began their service year a few months prior, in March, with trainings from their host campus in Mississippi where they learned about their roles and responsibilities as both AmeriCorps NCCC and FEMA Corps members. The team began their journey in the field with several long days of travel to Rhode Island to begin their first service project working at COVID vaccination centers. At the sites, members worked directly with the public by greeting and directing guests throughout the facilities, checking guests in and providing essential customer service by translating for Spanish-speaking guests, and assisting with data validation to provide quality assurance. In addition to helping the community of Rhode Island vaccinate over 135,000 community members, members made valuable networking connections, improved their customer service and computer skills, and interacted with individuals from various cultures and backgrounds.

After serving in Rhode Island, the team arrived in Region 2 excited for their new project assignment and ready to begin work with the National Preparedness Division.

• In preparation for National Preparedness Month in September, the team has been working to create engaging activities for individuals to learn more about preparedness and the steps to take in the event of a disaster. The team is working to develop a fun and engaging game night series for FEMA staff, stakeholders, and community members!
• The team has also been working diligently to create emergency preparedness resource sheets focused on various audiences including institutes of higher education, minority and LGBTQIA individuals, youth, seniors, and pets. Additionally, we are also excited to be working on financial preparedness.
• Along with these resource sheets, the team has been working directly with project sponsors to engage in webinars and community outreach with stakeholders by supporting FEMA Region 2’s Individual and Community Preparedness webinar series. The team is also working to streamline Excel spreadsheet data by engaging in webinar analytics to track trends and gaps in Region 2’s outreach initiatives.
• Members have been composing articles for the Preparedness and Resilience Bulletin which include various topics such as cybersecurity, kitchen and cooking safety, the importance of diversity in preparedness, how to avoid mass panic during disasters, and tips on being more aware of your surroundings.

The team has been working to create preparedness resources for the community members and many populations of Region 2. Through their work they have enhanced community awareness regarding the importance of preparing for disasters and knowing what to do in the case of an emergency. By creating engaging games and activities, writing educational articles, and compiling resource sheets, the team has greatly supported Region 2’s preparedness efforts.

While the team has been enjoying their work on projects with the Region 2’s National Preparedness Division, they are always prepared to be deployed to another location with only a day’s notice. Being flexible and adaptable is crucial when working with FEMA, and the team is excited to grow and learn by experiencing new opportunities together throughout their service year.

AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps is a full-time, team-based residential service program for 18 to 26-year-old adults who serve their country for 12 consecutive months. Teams support short and long-term emergency management activities to help communities across the country prepare and respond to disasters. Learn more about FEMA Corps.