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Department Of Homeland Security Citizen Corps Mobilized To Assist With Hurricane Disaster Support

More than 2,600 Citizen Corps participants deployed to help in disaster recovery from recent hurricanes

Release Date: September 16

Washington, DC - Citizen Corps Councils and national Citizen Corps affiliate organizations mobilized more than 2,600 volunteers and representatives from 48 states to provide disaster support to communities affected by Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan. In addition, Citizen Corps Councils and volunteer members already established within Florida are supporting state coordinated disaster relief efforts.

This first-ever nationwide activation of Citizen Corps members expands the mission of Citizen Corps from a locally based program to a national resource. By tapping Citizen Corps members who have received first aid or disaster response training and who volunteer in their communities, the state and federal response system has an additional resource for large-scale disasters. In addition to the 5,038 FEMA staff in Florida, emergency response personnel have been deployed from the U.S. Forest Service, the Coast Guard, Health and Human Service, Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation and Department of Defense.

"Citizen Corps Councils across the country have been working hard to educate and train citizens in emergency preparedness and response skills and to engage citizens in supporting emergency services within their community. We, at the Department of Homeland Security, are proud to see so many local Citizen Corps participants responding so enthusiastically to the need for help in Florida," said C. Suzanne Mencer, Executive Director of the Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness. "Citizens across America play an important role in making our communities safer and better prepared and they are a critical resource in responding to events like this - the work of Citizen Corps is definitely paying off."

The recent devastation from the hurricanes reinforce the importance of citizen preparedness. September is National Preparedness Month and Citizen Corps Councils across the country are hosting and participating in more than 175 events to raise awareness about the importance of community emergency preparedness, including family preparedness, training, and volunteer support for local emergency responders. These events include: participation in state fairs, promotions at local retail stores, local media public service announcements, 9-11 memorial ceremonies, events at the State capitols, safety demonstrations, disaster drills, preparedness lectures and workshops, and door-to-door distribution of preparedness materials.

Citizen Corps is the Homeland Security Department's nationwide grass-roots program created to actively involve Americans in making communities safer, stronger and better prepared for all emergencies including a terrorist attack. Fifty percent of the U.S. population is now served by nearly 1,400 state, county, local and tribal Citizen Corps Councils, which provide opportunities for citizens to participate in a wide range of homeland security activities that help make their families, their homes, and their communities safer from threats of crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds.

The Department of Homeland Security disseminates information about emergency preparedness through its Ready Campaign, a national public service advertising campaign produced by the Ad Council. Visit www.Ready.gov for more information. For more information about Citizen Corps and National Preparedness Month, visit www.citizencorps.gov.