Who says a kid can’t be a superhero…even one that dons a red helmet and a “go” kit? Commander Ready who is led by two members of the Ready Team: Reggie and Rachel, and accompanied by their dog Rodney have arrived. Previewing Tuesday, April 25th at 9a.m. at Peabody Elementary in Washington DC., the Ready’s will educate on disasters and emergencies, play games and complete fun activities which reinforce children’s roles in emergency preparedness.

Commander Ready, DC’s new children’s emergency preparedness program captures the spirit of volunteerism through emergency preparedness everywhere by preparing youth 5-13 on developing family plans, assembling “go” kits and being able to answer the question: ARE YOU READY?. This will be one of the District’s first curriculums focused on preparing children in the event of a disaster or an emergency.

The Ready’s are prepared for emergencies like other superheroes, and will be able to help their families in these situations. Armed with Commander Ready Backpack’s full of survival items such as a flashlight, a whistle, a water bottle and a first aid kit, this team will lead the children of Washington DC in unique emergency preparedness activities that can be completed in different settings.

The Commander Ready Program is being created under the auspices of Neighborhood Corps, a program of Serve DC, Executive Office of the Mayor. The organization strengthens and promotes the District of Columbia's spirit of service through partnerships, national service, and volunteerism. The DC Citizen Corps, a federally organized program provides citizens of all ages with opportunities to volunteer and make their communities safer, stronger and better prepared to address threats of terrorism, crime and natural disasters.

Serve DC is a comprehensive clearinghouse for registering, training and utilizing citizen volunteers in preparation and response to emergencies in the district. The goal of the Commander Ready program is to educate and engage children ages 5-13 in emergency preparedness.

Commander Ready will be rolled out in the 2006-2007 school year in District of Columbia Public Schools. Individuals interested in enrolling children in Commander Ready or adults interested in more information on Emergency Preparedness classes can visit http://www.serve.dc.gov or call (202) 727-7925.

###