Remarks of David Paulison 

Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency 

 

National Conference on Community Preparedness 

“Partnerships and Collaboration Through Citizen Corps” 

 

Alexandria, VA 

June 11, 2007 

 

 

Thank you all for being here. As I have traveled the country speaking of what FEMA has 
done to improve our organization, I have also been stressing the critical role that personal 
preparedness has in responding to any disaster. 

 

We have many dramatic examples of the importance of citizen preparedness. Hurricanes 
Katrina and Rita, in particular, illustrated the fact that, the more the public is engaged in 
emergency planning, preparedness, and response—particularly through social networks 
like places of worship, professional associations, business groups, and neighborhood 
associations—the more prepared and resilient our communities are when an incident 
occurs. 

The public must be part of local planning, training, and exercising so that they will know 
what to do when the “real thing” happens. The American people are the ultimate 
stakeholders in the homeland security mission and must be an integral component of 
national preparedness efforts. 

Sadly, too few of our fellow Americans are getting the message. A recent poll found less 
than half had made any preparations for the Hurricane season, such as storing water, 
food, batteries, medicines and other supplies so that they can survive until help can 
arrive. This was even true in coastal states and in the areas that were hit by Hurricane 
Katrina just two years ago. We must get out the message that personal preparedness in a 
necessity, not a luxury. 

 

That is why I am so pleased to see you here today. You represent communities across the 
country and around the world. Your attendance shows that you appreciate the importance 
of partnerships and collaboration when preparing your communities for any event, natural 
or man-made. 

 

This conference is dedicated to providing you with additional tools and skills as you 
develop your plans to for community preparedness. FEMA is proud to be a part of the 
discussion. 


DHS and FEMA are committed to integrating citizen preparedness and participation in all 
national preparedness guidance. Citizen preparedness and participation are included as 
integral elements of key guidance documents, including the National Preparedness Goal 
and its Target Capability List, State and Urban Homeland Security Strategies, Homeland 
Security Grant Program Guidance, and the National Response Plan. 

 

Homeland Security Presidential Directive 8 (called H S P D 8) specifically directs the us 
to work with other Federal departments and agencies, as well as State and local 
governments, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations, to encourage active 
citizen participation and involvement in preparedness efforts. This directive led to the 
development of the Interim National Preparedness Goal and its National Preparedness 
Priorities, including a National Priority specifically directed at strengthening planning 
and citizen preparedness. 

 

Citizen Preparedness and Participation is one of the target capabilities, and is identified as 
a “common capability” that cuts across all four mission areas: prevent, protect, respond, 
and recover. The capability is defined as ensuring that “…every one in America is fully 
aware, trained, and practiced on how to prevent, protect/mitigate, prepare for, and 
respond to all threats and hazards. This requires a role for citizens in exercises, ongoing 
volunteer programs, and surge capacity response.” 

 

At FEMA, we are leaning further forward to deliver more effective disaster assistance to 
individuals and communities impacted by a disaster. You can see the results in our 
response this year to Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Kansas tornadoes and the Nor’easter 
that affected States across the Mid-Atlantic and New England. 

 

In each of these cases, FEMA was an engaged partner with the tribal, state and local 
governments immediately. We deployed operational and technical experts, rolled 
logistics and communications capabilities – even before a disaster declaration – and 
coordinated with the Governor to facilitate a Presidential disaster declaration. It was also 
FEMA that supported and helped to facilitate an effective Unified Command amongst the 
many Federal, tribal, state and local partners involved in the responses. We call this: 
“engaged partnership.” 

 

It is this philosophy that will guide our actions as we face disasters this year and into the 
future. 

 

Local governments will always be the first to respond. But FEMA has an important role 
to play. The old paradigm of waiting for state and local governments to be overwhelmed 
before providing federal assistance does not work. Under “engaged partnership,” FEMA 
has strengthened our relationships with key state, county and local partners. A “one size 
fits all” approach to emergency management will not work. FEMA is helping each State 
analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Thus, our planning is more informed and we can 
better anticipate specific needs and move quickly to support you in times of need. 


In addition, I am pleased to take this opportunity to announce that this April we signed 
the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperative Agreement extending and 
strengthening the Emergency Management Assistance Compact known as EMAC. 

 

EMAC is a national interstate mutual aid agreement that allows all 50 States, the District 
of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to share resources across state lines 
during emergencies. EMAC is administered by the National Emergency Management 
Association, who provides the day to day support and technical backbone for EMAC 
education and operations. During emergencies, NEMA staff work with EMAC member 
states to ensure that a smooth relay of information passes through the EMAC system to 
coordinate relief efforts. 

 

As you can see, we are determined to improve communications and coordination across 
every level of government and with our partners in the private and non-profit sectors. 

 

Don’t believe stories that say FEMA and the federal government do not have plans in 
place. We do—and they are getting better. 

 

There are areas, though, where we could particularly use your assistance – where you can 
make a difference. 

 

One way you can be of assistance is to help us bring in talented people to FEMA. 
Encourage qualified people in your community to join FEMA’s team. There are a variety 
of potential opportunities. Temporary employees are needed to be on-call to supplement 
our operations. Full-time employees who can develop the depth and breadth of skills to 
build the nation’s preeminent emergency management agency are always in demand. 
And I can tell you a career at FEMA can be extraordinarily rewarding – professionally 
and personally. 

 

Next, help us make the ideals of this conference a reality. We are working to build a 
culture of preparedness in America. Everyone has a role to play in preparing for 
disasters. First responders are just one percent of the population and can be 
overwhelmed or unable to reach the scene immediately. 

 

Americans must “be prepared” to care for themselves and their loved ones during and 
immediately following a disaster until other resources are available. Government can 
and will help those who most in need. But a little bit of preparedness can go a long 
way to reducing the burden on all of us. 

 

Properly trained and organized volunteers can play a valuable role in providing 
emergency surge support. You can help with an enormous range of basic duties, helping 
to stabilize the scene of an incident and freeing up first responders to attend to the most 
urgent cases. Organized volunteers can help with triage, directing traffic, emergency 
communications, light search and rescue, call centers, staffing evacuation reception 


centers, and countless other necessary duties that can quickly overwhelm traditional local 
resources when outside help is still far away. 

 

FEMA is reaching out in new ways to promote personal preparedness. One example 
– and this conference is the proof – are our Citizen Corps Councils. 

 

Serving 75 percent of the population, these Councils provide a ready means to foster 
participation by community and government leaders, and a way to inform, train, and 
engage citizens in community preparedness that can support our first responders in an 
emergency. The Citizen Corps Program has expanded to more than 2,200 Citizen 
Corps Councils across the country. Additionally it partners with the Community 
Response Teams, Fire Corps, Medical Reserve Corps, and USA OnWatch programs. 

 

Two quick examples: 

 

Arkansas Seniors Are Prepared, or ASAP, is a collaborative effort between a number of 
Arkansas agencies, the American Red Cross and FEMA. ASAP provides senior adults in 
Arkansas with disaster preparedness information so that they may become better prepared 
to function in an emergency. 

 

In Los Angeles they are developing a Medical Reserve Corps with more than 500 
volunteer physicians and nurses and over 100 volunteer chaplains. 

 

Citizen Corps Councils play an important role in harnessing and coordinating volunteer 
support during all stages of the emergency management cycle. 

 

Citizen Corps Councils should include first responders, emergency managers, voluntary 
organizations, governments at ever level, community leaders, and other public and 
private sector stakeholders in your community. 

 

I encourage Emergency managers to reach out to their Councils and include them in 
planning and exercises. 

 

In many states, Citizen Corps Councils and emergency managers have already 
established strong working relationships. Our goal is to spread this practice across all 
parts of the country. 

 

In conclusion, I believe we have made real progress at FEMA and across the nation at 
every level of government. 

 

By leaning further forward to coordinate the federal response, which is more informed 
through assessments and communications with our partners, we can better serve all 
Americans. 

 


Today, FEMA: 

 

• Has created “engaged partnerships” with tribal, State and local governments, 
the private and non-profit sector, and with community based organizations; 
• Has supported and helped to facilitate an effective Unified Command 
amongst the many Federal, tribal, state and local partners; 
• Has improved our planning, our disaster operations capabilities and our 
ability to help communities recover; and 
• Is reaching out to community based organizations, the media, and all of our 
partners to foster a culture of preparedness in America. 


 

Of course, we are not done yet. There is still much work to do. 

 

But if our progress over the past year is any indication, I believe we are on the right 
track. 

 

I am especially proud of the men and women who work at FEMA. They have put their 
hearts and souls into rebuilding this agency. I hope you are as proud to work with them 
on the ground as I am to work with them every day. 

 

Thank you again for the work that all of you do in your communities. Thank you for 
inviting me to join you this morning. God bless you, and God bless America.