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Citizen Corps

Citizen Corps

The mission of Citizen Corps is to harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters of all kinds.

Citizen Corps asks you to embrace the personal responsibility to be prepared; to get training in first aid and emergency skills; and to volunteer to support local emergency responders, disaster relief, and community safety.

Volunteer Programs

The Citizen Corps Partner Programs listed below give citizens the opportunity get involved. Citizen Corps' five federally sponsored partner programs help support first responders through volunteer programs and activities:

  • Community Emergency Response Team educates people about disaster preparedness and provides basic disaster response training
  • Fire Corps promotes the use of citizen advocates to enhance the capacity of resource-constrained fire and rescue departments
  • USAonWatch - Neighborhood Watch works to provide information, training and resources to citizens and law enforcement agencies throughout the country.
  • Medical Reserve Corps program strengthens communities by helping medical, public health and other volunteers offer their expertise during local emergencies and year-round.
  • Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) works to enhance the capacity of state and local law enforcement to utilize volunteers.

Citizen Corps programs build on successful efforts that are in place in many communities around the country to prevent crime and respond to emergencies.

Youth Preparedness

Children can play an important role in disaster preparedness and each have the unique potential to help their communities be safer, stronger and more resilient before, during and after a disaster.

Through a unique partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Department of Education and the American Red Cross, there are a full range of educational materials to assist individuals who want to start a youth preparedness program.

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