Individual and Community Preparedness Division

This page provides information for business partners to learn about FEMA’s Individual and Community Preparedness Division (ICPD). Here you’ll learn about the work ICPD does and the programs it manages.

Overview

ICPD works to strengthen our Nation’s resilience by preparing individuals, organizations, and communities for any disaster or emergency. The Division:

• Conducts research to better understand effective preparedness actions and ways to motivate the public to take those actions.
• Develops and shares preparedness resources based upon the Division’s research.
• Celebrates community advances in preparedness.
• Coordinates comprehensive disaster preparedness initiatives that empower communities to prepare for, protect against, and respond to disaster.

Partners

To achieve a culture of preparedness across the Nation, ICPD works closely with:

• FEMA Regions
• Federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies
• Nongovernmental partners from all sectors

Programs

As FEMA’s main preparedness avenue for individuals, families, and communities, ICPD promotes the following programs:

• America’s PrepareAthon!
  • National community-based campaign that moves individuals from awareness to action by preparing for relevant hazards through group discussions, drills, and activities.
• Citizen Corps
  • Harnesses the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the hazards and threats facing their community.
• Communication of Preparedness Information
  • Uses social media messaging and activities to educate millions of online audiences about likely hazards and actions to prepare.
• Community Emergency Response Team Program
  • Educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills like fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
• Individual and Community Preparedness Awards
  • Highlight innovative local practices and achievements by recognizing those that have made their communities safer, stronger, better prepared, and more resilient.
• National Strategy for Youth Preparedness Education
  • Created through a partnership between FEMA, the American Red Cross, and the U.S. Department of Education, this strategy encourages government and non-government organizations to foster comprehensive disaster education to children throughout the nation.
• Protective Action Research
  • Helps individuals and communities prepare for, protect against, and respond to disaster by providing current, validated guidance for decision-making.
• Ready Business Training
  • Helps small businesses and community-based organizations identify their risks, develop a plan, and take action to mitigate and prepare through hazard-specific toolkits and local workshops.
• You Are the Help Until Help Arrives
  • FEMA, the Centers for Disease Control, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, and Medical Reserve Corps work together to empower everyday people to provide assistance to those with life-threatening injuries during or immediately following an incident. Introduces skills beyond everyday first aid, like how to control bleeding and how to safely move the injured.
• Youth Preparedness Council
  • Brings together local youth to advocate for youth preparedness, making a difference in their communities and across the nation. Council members are selected by their dedication to public service, their efforts in making a difference in their communities, and their potential to expand their impact as national advocates for youth preparedness.