# Presentation: 199479

## Uniting Communities ~ 

***Uniting Communities ~ ***
***                    ******Preparing the Nation***

**Notes:**
Your introduction ... mention that FEMA has an Office of Citizen Corps that reports to the Director’s office with regional support in each FEMA region. 

## Promoting a culture of service, citizenship and responsibility

***Promoting a culture of service, citizenship and responsibility***

**Notes:**
USA Freedom Corps was announced during the State of the Union Address.  

The President signed an Executive Order the same day creating USA Freedom Corps as an Executive Office of the President, as such it does not have operational authority; it’s role is advisory and to provide coordination.  John Bridgeland is the Director of USA Freedom Corps (previously head of Domestic Policy).  

The focus of USA Freedom Corps is to promote service opportunities, including to re-invigorate Peace Corps and to help expand the programs administered by CNCS: Ameri*Corps, Senior Corps, Learn and Serve America, VISTA, City Year, Teach for America, others. 

Because of FEMA’s central mission of emergency prevention, preparedness, and response and the Agency’s strong relationship with state and local governments, the President asked FEMA to be the lead coordinating agency for Citizen Corps. 

## Citizen Corps Mission

**To have everyone participate in **
**making America safer ****	**

*Everyone can do something to be safer from the dangers we all face – natural disasters, terrorism, crime, public health issues and other medical emergencies – and to help our communities be safer too.     *

**Notes:**
Make the point that everyone can do something to help prevent, prepare for, and respond to the dangers we all face:
		- terrorism			- natural disasters
		- crime		            - technological disasters	
		- public health issues	   - emergencies of all kinds

And not just large scale disasters, but incidents that affect even one other person.  

##  Citizen Corps Mission

**Every American can participate through:**
_**Personal responsibility**_: preparedness plans and
- 	disaster supplies kits - home health and safety practices -
- 	disaster mitigation measures - crime prevention and reporting
_**Training**_: emergency preparedness - response capabilities - first aid - fire suppression - search and rescue procedures -
- 	public health and safety
_**Volunteer service**_: law enforcement - fire - emergency medical services - community public health - emergency management - disaster relief & community safety organizations**  **

**Notes:**
Personal responsibility – we have to start to re-define what it means to be an American.  The privilege of being an American comes with the responsibility to be prepared, to help your neighbor, and to be involved in your community.  

Training:  Through Citizen Corps, more  training opportunities in preparedness and response are made available to
Citizens across the country.  Citizen Corps fosters and encourages all citizens to have some training in being able to better take care of themselves and their families.

Volunteer services:  Citizen Corps provides the infrastructure for getting citizens involved in supporting the first responders in their community. Whether it is volunteering to help the local police department on a regular basis or helping the public health community increase health awareness during a special situation, people in a community can do something to support their first responders. 

##        Citizen Corps Approach

-    **National network of state/local/tribal **
**Citizen Corps Councils to: **
**	****   ****- tailor activities to the community **
**	****   ****- build on community strengths to develop and **
**	****     ****implement a local strategy for **_**all**_** to participate****  **

**National Voice – National public **
**awareness and media campaign **

##   Citizen Corps CouncilsMembership

**First responder/emergency management**
**	***(law enforcement, fire, EMS/EMT, public works)*
**Volunteer community**
**Elected officials**
**Business leaders**
**School systems representatives**
**Transportation sector**
**Media executives**
**Minority and special needs representation**
**Leadership from community sub-structure**

**Notes:**
At the local level, we are encouraging communities to start Citizen Corps Councils with the principal goal of bringing first responders together with the volunteer community and other stakeholders.

In April, the President released the Citizen Corps Guide for Local Officials, which is now posted on the Citizen Corps web site. 

Again, Citizen Corps is designed to be flexible.  Every community is different, with different strengths and vulnerabilities.  To start Citizen Corps, communities should build on their strengths.   

We ask all Councils to register on the Citizen Corps web site so that we can communicate with them and facilitate sharing among the Councils.  Web address is citizencorps.gov/councils

## Citizen Corps CouncilsResponsibilities 

- Build on community strengths to develop action plans to involve the whole community, including special needs groups
- Focus on public education, training, and volunteer opportunities for community and family safety
- Promote and oversee Citizen Corps programs
- Provide opportunities for special skills and interests
- Organize special projects/community events
- Capture smart practices and report accomplishments

**Notes:**
Clearly the primary responsibility for engaging all Americans will take place at the local level ... we need to reach out to each neighborhood, to each family, and each person.  

Our role at the Federal and State level is to help local community efforts by providing information and technical assistance, and by sharing examples and best practices ... by fostering a mentoring relationship and cross fertilization of ideas. 

## Citizen Preparedness

- To ensure that all Americans have the necessary information, education and skills to protect themselves, their families, homes and businesses

***People ***
***Taking***
***ACTION!!***

- Be Ready
- Are You Ready?
- Other Publications

- _Councils_
- Advocacy
- Outreach
- Media
- Canvassing
- Word of mouth
- Training & Exercises

**Notes:**
Again, the point that the Councils, the local presence and responsibility will translate information into ACTION!!

## First Responders Per Capita 

_**1 firefighter for every 280 people**_
- 1 million firefighters – 750,000 volunteer
_**1 sworn officer for every 385 people**_
- 436,000 sworn law enforcement personnel
- 291,000 sworn sheriff’s office personnel
_**1 EMT/paramedic for every 325 people**_
- 860,000 all levels of pre-hospital services:
- basic EMT, intermediate EMT, paramedic

- First Responders Per Capita

*White House Homeland Security website and EMS Magazine July 2002*

**Notes:**
These numbers dramatically argue the case -- 

that we need to make sure people are better educated about home safety and emergency preparedness, 
that people need training in life saving skills, and 
that we need to increase volunteer service to support first responders, disaster response and community safety groups.  

##      The Need to be Ready 

- bystanders or victims themselves are the first to provide
- emergency assistance or
- to perform a rescue

*Los Angeles Fire Department*

-      The Need to be Ready

**Notes:**
We must all be better prepared, better informed and better trained to be ready to help ourselves and others in time of crisis.

This means training in emergency preparedness, response capabilities, first aid, fire suppression, search and rescue procedures, public health and safety 

In the aftermath of the Mexico City earthquake of 1985, volunteers helped rescue more than 800 people.  But because they did not any specific training, more than 100 of these rescuers died during the process. 

##      Citizen Corps Programs 

**Other public education, training and volunteer service programs promoting community and family safety**

**Notes:**
Currently, there are four federal programs that make up Citizen Corps.   

But again, Citizen Corps is flexible and it encompasses anything that a local community is doing to promote the Citizen Corps mission of all hazards community and family safety through public education, training, and volunteer programs.

##         Neighborhood Watch - DOJ

- 30 years old –
- 	success in crime prevention
- Double number of
- 	Neighborhood Watch
- 	Programs to 15,000 over 2 years
- Partnership with the
- 	National Sheriffs’ Association

**Notes:**
The newly expanded Neighborhood Watch Program (NWP) to brings neighbors together through its crime prevention mission and can make all neighborhoods safer.  All the materials necessary to start Neighborhood Watch are now available on the website USAonwatch.org and there is also a new registration page on the website.

## Volunteers in Police Service - DOJ

- On line directory of existing local programs, sample policies and documents at www.policevolunteers.org
- Best practices guidance                                         to recruit, train, and use                                 citizen volunteers in police                    departments
- Partnership with the International Association of Chiefs of Police

**Notes:**
Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) will provide support for resources-constrained police departments by helping with administrative duties so that more law enforcement professionals can spend more time on front-line duty.  

Some communities have large scale, sophisticated training programs.  Knoxville, TN, for example has had over 600 volunteers graduate from its Citizens Police Academy.   Other areas are just getting started

The range of activities in which volunteer participate depends on the local department, but some examples acroos the country include having volunteers work in Criminal Investigation Division, Crime Analysis, Juvenile Unit, Support Services – including data entry and administrative support, Training, and Safety Education Unit. They also help with community programs, such as fingerprinting school children, and conferences. 

##   CERT - FEMA

- 20 hour course
- 	- Disaster Preparedness	- Light Urban Search and Rescue
- 	- Fire Safety		- Medical Principles and Treatment
- 	- Team Organization 	- Disaster Psychology
- 	- Terrorism module	 (new)	- Final Exercise
- Train-the-Trainer delivery system

*Triple the number of individuals trained by the                    end of 2003 – an additional 400,000 nationwide*

**Notes:**
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program provides training in emergency preparedness and in basic disaster response techniques and so that volunteers can take a more active role in the safety of the people in their neighborhood, workplace, or school in a time of crisis.  

Good example of innovation that occurs at the local level that can be spread across the country through the network of Citizen Corps Councils. 

Also a good example of how linking citizens to first responders provides greater understanding and appreciation of first responders services and can help improve community relations – and even improve support for bond issues and other fund raising needs. 

## Medical Reserve Corps - HHS

- Active and retired health care professionals and others with an interest in public health issues
- Support in large-scale local emergencies
- Promote community public health year round
- Nov 2002:
- 	42 demonstration grants
- 	announced and Guide
- 	for Local Leaders released
- www.medicalreservecorps.gov

**Notes:**
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) will allow off-duty or retired health professionals to expand your community’s health care capacity in cases of extreme emergency by assisting emergency response teams, providing care to victims with non-life threatening injuries, and by removing other burdens that inhibit the effectiveness of physicians and nurses in a major crises.

## Citizen Corps Affiliates 

- Programs and organizations that provide:
- 	- materials and resources for public education or training;
- 	- volunteer service opportunities to support first responders,
-       disaster relief activities, and community safety efforts; or
- 	- represent volunteers with an interest in homeland security
- Coordination and mutual support of respective activities

**Notes:**
The interest level that Citizen Corps has sparked since it’s announcement and the breadth of activities that are already taking place across the country encouraged us to develop an affiliate program to work formally with those programs and organizations that support the mission of helping citizens prevent, prepare for, and respond to crime, disasters, pressing health needs, and other emergencies.

## Citizen Corps Affiliates

** ****The National Fire Protection Association**
**  ****Save-A-Life Foundation**
**  ****The U.S. Junior Chamber (Jaycees)**
**  ****National Volunteer Fire Council**
**  ****National Voluntary Organizations **
**   ****Active In Disaster**
**  ****Point of Light Foundation and the National **
**   ****Network of Volunteer Centers**
**  ****National Safety Council**
** ****American Radio Relay League**

**Notes:**
NFPA – was the first Citizen Corps affiliate organization, signed on October 11, 2002 during National Fire Prevention Week.  NFPA has an impressive history of promoting both fire safety and all-hazards safety for children.  They have excellent information on their website and a lot of available educational materials that will be of use to Citizen Corps Councils across the country.  

Mission: To reduce the impact of fire and other hazards through scientifically-based consensus codes and 
standards, research, training, and education.  Has also developed Risk Watch®:  a comprehensive injury prevention program designed for the classroom – pre-K through 8th grade and Risk Watch® natural hazards.

Save A Life Foundation Mission: To prepare all citizens, especially children, for emergencies, accidents or disasters; Training in:  Life Supporting First Aid; Heimlich maneuver; Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation; Automated External Defibrillators

The United States Junior Chamber provides young people opportunities to develop personal and leadership skills through service to others.  2000 chapters nationwide participating in civic engagement and community development. 

The National Volunteer Fire Council represents the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS and rescue service.
Volunteers comprise 73% of firefighters in the U.S.
 The majority of fire departments in the U.S. are volunteer
 Fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined
 Direct property loss due to fires is estimated at $8.5 billion annually

NVOAD: A coalition of 35 major national voluntary organizations that have made disaster-related work a priority.
Volunteer service opportunities in all phases of emergency management 
Direct unaffiliated volunteers to join the member VOAD member organizations

National Safety Council: A leading advocate for safety encompassing unintentional injuries on the job; highway, community and recreation safety; and all major causes of preventable injuries and deaths, including occupational and environmental health and general wellness.  Training materials and training centers nationwide. 

## National Citizen Corps Council

- 	**Membership:** Leaders of national organizations
- 	      - law enforcement		- volunteer groups
- 	      - fire				- private sector
- 	      - emergency management	- federal partners
- 	      - emergency medical and 	- intergovernmental
- 	        public health services	              organizations
- 	whose colleagues at the state and local level will collaborate to create local Citizen Corps Councils and to advance the Citizen Corps mission

**Notes:**
Member Responsibilities:

To exchange facts and information

To ensure a consistent message

To identify opportunities for collaboration and mutual support

To discuss the best way to promote the Citizen Corps mission across the country, to include Council development

To serve as the catalyst to engage others 

## Citizen CorpsCommunity Benefits

- Greater sense of security, responsibility, and personal control
- Builds community pride, unity and patriotism
- Promotes risk reduction, mitigation, and preparedness practices
- Prepares us all for helping others in a crisis

## Citizen CorpsCommunity Benefits

**Benefits for First Responders:**
- Year round support through volunteer programs
- Reduces burden on first responder services by promoting mitigation and preparedness measures
- Creates 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

**Notes:**
Reiterate that our goal is to have each of the national programs in every community, BUT that communities don’t need to have any of these programs to get started.

They can:
- promote existing and new outreach, training, and volunteer activities = build on existing strengths and 
 develop a strategic approach to public education and outreach using volunteer and first responder resources.

##      What YOU Can Do

- Partner with volunteer organizations, first responder and emergency management leadership, elected leadership, private sector and educational groups
- Help form Citizen Corps Councils and start the programs in your community
- Help with public education, risk assessment, training, and volunteer participation
- Mentor others: organizations and communities

**Notes:**

After discussing these and other areas where the audience can help, transition to the next slide by saying something like ...

I hope that you now have a clear understanding of the Citizen Corps mission and some clear ideas for ways you can contribute your skills and energy making our country safer.  

In closing, I want to reiterate the urgency of our mission to have everyone participate in their own safety and the safety of their community.

## www.citizencorps.gov

- Contact us at: citizencorps@fema.gov

**Notes:**
We encourage you to visit our web site and to sign up on the registration page – we send out electronic newsletters and this allows you to be contacted when something is getting organized in your area.  

We also encourage you to order the citizen preparedness materials we have on the website ... and share them with your friends and family.