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I recently got a chance to meet with Al Roker of the Today Show to talk about preparedness. Al reports on weather and disasters, so being prepared is something he often talks about. He was getting ready to shoot a preparedness video for Ready.gov, and in case you haven’t seen it yet, take 30 seconds to check it out:Before Al filmed that great video, we had a chance to walk through some of the communities damaged by Hurricane Sandy and talk about why most American’s aren’t prepared for the disasters that can happen in their community, and a few simple things folks can do to be better...
Posted On: February 20, 2013 On August 23, 2011 a 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Louisa County, Virginia; the shaking from this seismic event was felt as far north as New England and as far south as Georgia. At the time of the initial tremor, I was at FEMA HQ on C Street in Washington, D.C - ironically discussing the latest plans for National Preparedness month with my team. As the building shook more violently, I thought, I need to get out of here. I fought the impulse to run outside. I dropped, covered, and held on, waiting until the shaking stopped, grabbed my kit and evacuated.As Director of FEMA’s...
Posted On: October 17, 2012 This week members of the FEMA Youth Preparedness Council attended their inaugural meeting in Washington, DC to discuss steps to strengthen the nation’s resiliency against all types of disasters.Council members had the opportunity to share their ideas, experiences, solutions and questions on youth disaster preparedness with FEMA leadership including Administrator Craig Fugate, Deputy Administrator Richard Serino, and Deputy Administrator for Protection and National Preparedness Tim Manning, other federal agencies and national organizations.When meeting with the council, Administrator Fugate...
Posted On: August 10, 2012 It’s National Volunteer Week! Join us in recognizing the amazing volunteers nationwide that donate their time in an effort to give back to their community. Last year more than 64 million Americans spent hours in shelters, faith-based and community groups, schools, and other areas making a difference through service. And more than 3 million Citizen Corps-sponsored volunteer hours were logged for supporting preparedness and response activities representing over 65 million dollars for the year.I’d like to congratulate volunteers everywhere, in particular the Citizen Corps volunteers that promote...
Posted On: April 19, 2012 FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division is looking for youth leaders dedicated to public service and making a difference in their community to serve on FEMA’s National Youth Preparedness Council.Bringing youth to the table provides a clear and true picture of the thoughts, needs, and capabilities of nearly 25% of our nation’s population. It is critical to listen to them and their peers, align our youth strategies as an agency to the message we hear, and to build up our nation’s future leaders in emergency preparedness.The National Youth Preparedness Council is an opportunity for...
Posted On: March 19, 2012 FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division is looking for youth leaders dedicated to public service and making a difference in their community to serve on FEMA’s National Youth Preparedness Council. The National Youth Preparedness Council is an opportunity for select youth leaders interested in expanding their impact as a national advocate for youth preparedness to serve on this highly distinguished national council. Members of the council will participate in a community preparedness roundtable event in Washington D.C. and voice their opinions, experiences, ideas, solutions and...
Posted On: March 9, 2012 Last month, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Special Assistant to the President on Homeland Security Richard Reed, and FEMA Deputy Administrator Richard Serino recognized seventeen local leaders who have spearheaded creative and effective community preparedness projects. Their local efforts involve the whole community and contribute to building a more resilient nation. The honorees, selected as recipients of this year’s Individual and Community Preparedness Awards, were also recognized as White House Champions of Change.At a White House event honoring these champions, more...
Posted On: February 24, 2012 It’s the beginning of a New Year and we are excited so many of you have taken part in our January activities. Two weeks ago we honored the Individual and Community Preparedness Award winners as Champions of Change at the White House and last week we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Citizen Corps Program. As we continue to promote what you do, we also want to provide you with new resources, so I am proud to say the Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD) hosted one of the most highly attended Community Preparedness Webinar Series webinars on record.
More than 1,800...
Posted On: January 31, 2012 Today FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the Citizen Corps Program! Individuals from around the country have led the way of implementing the Citizen Corps mission of helping communities become safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to disasters of all kinds.To commemorate 10 years of service, Citizen Corps reaffirms its position and role as the table to which all organizations and members of the community are welcome to share ideas and learn about what to do before, during and after a disaster.Citizen Corps Councils and their...
Posted On: January 25, 2012 As we begin 2012, many of us are now reflecting upon the smiles and cheer we brought to the children in and around our lives during the recent holiday season. And while we consider the effort we put into finding, just the perfect gift to brighten their day, it is also a perfect time to reflect upon their safety and well-being for the future.Did you know, at the end of the 20th century, research showed an estimated 66.5 million children were affected each year by a natural disaster, and this number is expected to increase? Couple this with the fact that according to the National Climate Data...
Posted On: January 4, 2012