Community and Citizen Preparedness
Citizen Corps
Citizen Corps is FEMA’s grassroots strategy to bring together government and community leaders to involve citizens in all-hazards emergency preparedness and resilience. The goal is to have all citizens participate in making their communities safer, stronger, and better prepared for preventing and handling threats of terrorism, crime, and disasters of all kinds. The Citizen Corps Program benefits first responders by creating well trained, better informed, and better prepared citizens to take care of themselves and others during times of crisis - allowing first responders to address the most critical needs.
There are five different Citizen Corp Programs which include Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Fire Corps, Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), USAonWatch-Neighborhood Watch, and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS). Information about each program can be found by clicking on the link below.
Through Homeland Security Grant Program funds, the CAPCOG Region has funded a position to coordinate the Citizen Corps Programs located in the ten county Region as well as identify activities for citizen preparedness. Linda Haynie, City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, is the Regional Citizen Corps Coordinator and can be reached at (512) 974-0471 or Linda.Haynie@ci.austin.tx.us. If you are interested in learning more or becoming involved in a local program, please contact Linda or one of the Citizen Corps programs listed on the link below.
Citizen Preparedness
During a disaster, citizens must be prepared to survive on their own for at least three days. Be Ready for an emergency by making a disaster kit, creating a family plan, and staying informed. Information can be obtained from:
Upcoming Events
Texas Citizens Corps 2nd Annual Texas VOAD Conference
The 2011 Texas Citizen Corps/VOAD Conference is being held in Austin
The conference, which will take place from June 20-22 at the Omni Hotel downtown, is one of the largest professional, volunteer and emergency management training summits in
Attendees at previous conferences have included:
Professional staff representing leaders from local Citizen Corps Councils and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) from across
Councils of Government and local jurisdictions who work on volunteer programs, emergency communications and emergency preparedness projects;
Volunteers from all VOAD and Citizen Corps Programs (CERT, Fire Corps, Volunteers in Police Service, Medical Reserve Corps, and
Representatives from local government, state and federal agencies.
For more information please click on the following link:
http://www.regonline.com/2011_Texas_Unites
City of Austin
This required core training covers the basics of the CERT program, the hazards we face and your role as a CERT volunteer. For more information and a class schedule, please click on the following link:
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