The Value of a Prepared Public

September is National Preparedness Month. A FEMA conference will highlight the work of Citizen Corps in ensuring that the country is ready for any emergency.

By Angela Sivak, NCPC Staff

It’s been almost eight years since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the country is still threatened, by foreign and even domestic terrorists. In addition, no one can predict the natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina or the recent Midwest floods, which can strike any time.

To help the United States prepare for a possible emergency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Community Preparedness Division will host the 2009 Conference on Community Preparedness: The Power of Citizens Corps, August 9 – 12 in Arlington, VA.

According to Penny Burke, program specialist of FEMA’s Community Preparedness Division, the conference “is intended to bring together federal, state, and local leaders to develop strategies that help communities become safer, stronger, and better prepared for all types of hazards.”

The conference will focus on the ability of Citizen Corps to help people prepare for emergencies. Citizen Corps consists of local branches of FEMA that help coordinate volunteer activities and make communities safer from disasters and terrorism. “Citizen Corps partners with volunteer programs and organizations that build capacity for first responders and teach the basic premises of personal preparedness and safety,” said Burke.

If you would like to attend the conference, you can register online. Follow the link under registration information, and log in if you are a member. You do not have to be a member to attend the conference, although members get a discounted price.

Citizen Corps is not the only way FEMA has tried to prepare the public. In 2003, FEMA launched the Ready Campaign, a national public service advertising campaign. The campaign, which is ongoing, helps Americans prepare for emergencies such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks by educating and empowering them. “The goal of the campaign is to get the public involved and ultimately to increase the level of basic preparedness across the nation,” said Burke. The campaign spreads its message quickly by helping individuals communicate important preparedness messages to family members, neighbors, and coworkers.

The Ready Campaign celebrates September as National Preparedness Month, which will focus on educating Americans about how to be prepared for an emergency. With the power of Citizen Corps and the Ready Campaign, and with the 2009 Conference on Community Preparedness, the nation may be able to better respond to another disaster.