For Yourself, Your Family and Your Community

As part of my job, I am frequently reminded of the dangers America faces from disasters, both natural and man-made. From hurricanes to terrorist attacks, they can strike suddenly and without warning, leaving behind a devastating trail of lost lives and property.

Astonishingly (to me), according to a recently released Harvard study, 31 percent of people in high-risk coastal areas would refuse an evacuation order in the event of a major hurricane. Even as Hurricane Dean approached, one-fourth of potentially at-risk Texans surveyed said they would not evacuate, either.

Over the past year, people across America have lost their lives and property due to damage caused by floods, tornadoes and wildfires. Today many Americans remain in a state of denial when it comes to disaster preparedness. Americans must be prepared for all types of disasters including the threat from terrorists, who can attack without warning and cause catastrophic damage and loss of life.

To help America handle disasters better, our Department is striving to promote a new culture of preparedness.

One way we’re doing this is through our annual National Preparedness Month, which we promote every September. Throughout this month, with the help of our Ready campaign, we have been encouraging everyone to develop their own individual and family preparedness plan, including an emergency supply kit, a family emergency plan, and emergency information. This is common sense which we owe our families.

But is it enough to encourage people to help themselves and their families in the event of an emergency or disaster? Shouldn’t we also want them to help their neighborhoods and communities? That’s why, throughout this month, we’ll also be highlighting our work with Citizen Corps, a nationwide movement of volunteers who are donating their time in precisely that way. (See my op-ed for further discussion.)

Through a network of state and local councils, Citizen Corps programs give volunteers a chance to do such things as assist law enforcement, acquire terrorism awareness education and basic emergency response skills, provide medical and public health expertise, and support fire and rescue departments.

Clearly, judging from that list, those who wish to join Citizen Corps will have a good menu of opportunities to help. They will also be satisfied in knowing that they are building community pride and patriotism, acquiring skills to help them take better care of themselves, their families, and their neighbors in a crisis, and reducing the burden on fire fighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, and others who risk their lives and safety for all of us each day.

If you want to learn more about how you can help yourself, your family, and your community to be better prepared, feel free to contact Ready and Citizen Corps.

Michael Chertoff