FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 29, 2003
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Federal Emergency Management Agency
(202) 566-1600 |
Homeland Security Helps Train Citizens For Emergencies With $19 Million For Community Emergency Response Teams |
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Olathe, KS -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for
Emergency Preparedness and Response, announced today the availability of $19
million in grant money to train citizens to be better prepared to respond to
emergency situations in their communities through local Community Emergency
Response Teams (CERT). Brown made the announcement at a meeting with CERT
members from the cities of Olathe, Overland Park, Leawood, and Merriam, KS and
from Johnson County government, who assisted first responders after tornadoes
devastated areas of Kansas earlier this month.
"Homeland Security has provided more than $4 billion to state and local
governments this year to support the efforts of first responders and help us
secure the homeland," said Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. "These CERT
grants are a great example of the use of funding to better prepare America's
communities."
Each CERT member completes 20 hours of training on disaster preparedness,
basic disaster medical operations, fire safety, light search and rescue, and
other essential topics. The training also includes a disaster simulation in
which participants practice skills they learned throughout the course. In the
event of an emergency, CERT members can provide immediate assistance to
victims, assist in organizing spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site and
provide critical support to first responders.
"Through the CERT program, citizens are better able to respond to an
emergency or disaster," said Brown. "This is an essential way for citizens to
help secure the homeland by supporting the work of our professional first
responders."
The grant money represents the FY03 funds made available to expand the CERT
program, and is in addition to $17 million distributed through the FY 02
supplemental appropriation. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
will distribute the funds for state and local level CERT programs to each
state and territory according to the formula developed through the Patriot
Act. The CERT grants will allow states to fund new programs and to expand
existing teams. FEMA has a goal of training 400,000 citizens through the CERT
program during the next two years.
CERT is a vital component of Citizen Corps, President Bush's
community-based initiative to engage citizens in homeland security and
community and family preparedness through public education and outreach,
training opportunities, and volunteer service.
For more information on the CERT program, please visit
www.fema.gov and
www.citizencorps.gov.
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