2012 Monthly Themes and Events for Preparedness
The following national holidays, days of recognition, and weekly and monthly themes may be used by Citizen Corps Councils and partners to encourage and promote civic engagement, public safety, preparedness, resilience, and volunteerism. The outreach themes are intended to be used as an opportunity to jumpstart work with additional Citizen Corps partners and affiliates on promoting awareness, planning events, and media outreach to strengthen community preparedness at the state and local level.
Local Citizen Corps Councils and partners may contact local representatives from the organizations below to learn how the community can benefit from involvement, reach out to citizens about participation, and involve the local media in distributing information on these events. These events will help raise awareness for local Citizen Corps activities and ultimately increase community preparedness, training, and volunteer particip ation.
And please remember to post your activities on the Citizen Corps Calendar of Events.
Months
January
- National Volunteer Blood Donor Month
- Winter Storm Preparation
- January 1: New Year's Day
- January 12: Haiti earthquake two-year anniversary.
- January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service
- January 18-20: U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting, Washington, DC
- January 22-26: American Meteorological Society 92st Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA
- January 24: State of the Union address
February
- Earthquake Awareness Month: CUSEC
- Black History Month
- "Go Direct" Month
- February 5-11: National Burn Awareness Week
- February 7: Great Central U.S. Shake Out public earthquake exercise
- February 18-23: Firehouse World Exposition and Conference (San Diego, CA)
- February 27- Chile earthquake two-year anniversary
- February 28-March 3: EMS Today Conference & Expo (Baltimore, MD)
March
- American Red Cross Month
- National Women's History Month
- Tornadoes
- February 28-March 3: EMS Today Conference & Expo (Baltimore, MD)
- March 3-7: NACo Legislative Conference, Washington, DC
- March 11: Daylight Saving Time begins (set clocks ahead and check smoke detectors)
- March 12-16: Flood Safety Awareness Week – NOAA
- March 18-24: National Poison Prevention Week
- March 25-30: NEMA Mid-Year Conference 2011, Alexandria, VA
- March 26 – 29: 9-1-1 Goes to Washington – National Emergency Numbers Association
- March 26-29: National Hurricane Conference (Orlando, FL)
- March/April: Tsunami Awareness – NOAA
April
May
- Mental Health Month
- National Older Americans Month
- May 5-8: 20th Annual Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) Conference, Norfolk, VA
- May 6-9: FEMA’s National Flood Conference 2011, Austin, TX
- May 6-12: National Arson Awareness Week
- May 6-12: Public Service Recognition Week 2011
- May 6-12: National Nurses Week
- May 7th to May 13th: Deaf Awareness Week
- May 13-18: Florida Governor’s Hurricane Conference, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- May 13-19: National Women's Health Week
- May 15-17: 6th Annual National Prevention and Advocacy Resources and Data Exchange (PARADE) Conference (NETC) – A gathering of America’s Fire Marshals at the state and local levels
- May 13-19: National Police Week
- May 20-26: National Public Works Week
- May 20-26: National EMS Week
- May 27-June 2: National Hurricane Awareness Week – NOAA and ARC
- May 28: Memorial Day, usually preceded by grilling safety fire awareness news release
June
- June 1: Start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season
- National Safety Month – National Safety Council
- June 3-9: National CPR & AED Awareness Week
- June 7-9: Annual ESF-6 Conference, Syracuse, NY
- June 11-14: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Conference & Expo (Las Vegas, NV)
- June 17-20: National Congress of the American Indian, Mid Year Conference, Lincoln, NE
- June 24-30: Lightning Awareness Week
- June 23-24: American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Field Day
July
- Critical Days of Summer
- Summer Thunderstorms
- July 2012: International Association of Fire Fighters 51st Convention (Philadelphia, PA)
- July 4: Independence Day, usually preceded by fireworks safety news release
- July 13-15: National Governor’s Association 2012 Annual Conference, Williamsburg, VA
- July 13-17: National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference 2012, Pittsburgh, PA
- July 17-21: Firehouse Expo (Baltimore, MD)
- July 22: National Parents' Day
- July 26: Anniversary of the Signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act
August
- Heat Wave
- Water Conservation
- August 7: Annual National Night Out
- Early August: Updated Hurricane Outlook - NOAA
- August 29: Hurricane Katrina 6th anniversary
September
- Back to School Activities
- Wildfire Mitigation
- National Preparedness Month
- September 3: Labor Day
- September 9-15: National Assisted Living Week
- September 15-October 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month
- September 17: Citizenship Day
- September 16-22: Child Passenger Safety Awareness Week
October
- Crime Prevention Month
- October, 2012: Celebrate Safe Communities
- October 2-8: FEMA fire prevention fair
- October 5-10: NEMA 2012 Annual Conference, (TBD)
- October 6-7: National Fallen Firefighter Memorial Weekend
- October 7-13: Fire Prevention Week – NFPA
- October 15-19: National School Bus Safety Week
- October 21-27: America’s Safe Schools Week
- October 23-31: National Red Ribbon Week
- October 21-26: National Congress of the American Indian Annual Conference 2012, Sacramento, CA
- October 27: Make a Difference Day
November
- National American Indian Heritage Month
- Season of Suppers Campaign
- November 4: Daylight Saving Time ends (set clocks back an hour and check smoke detectors)
- November 12: Veterans' Day
- Mid-November/December: Holiday/Cooking fire safety
- November 22: Thanksgiving Day
- November 30: Atlantic Hurricane Season ends
December
- Season of Suppers Campaign
- Winter Storm Awareness
- December 3: International Day of Disabled Persons
- December 21: First Day of Winter