As the U.S. marks the ninth anniversary of 9/11, I wanted to post some ideas that I think would help raise citizen preparedness and engagement. The recommendations come from discussions that I have had with people involved in all aspects of the issue, my own experiences as a parent and CERT member in New York [...]
Entries Tagged as 'CERT'
As Nation Marks 9/11 Anniversary, 20 Ideas To Improve Citizen Preparedness & Engagement
September 13th, 2010 · 3 Comments
Tags: Business Preparedness · CERT · City Preparedness · Congress · County Preparedness · Cyber Security · Department of Homeland Security · Federal Emergency Management Administration · Fire Safety · Government Education Programs · Media · Non-Profit Organizations · Preparedness 2.0 · Preparedness Ideas · Preparedness Incentives · Preparedness Models · Preparedness and Business · Risk Communications · See Something/Terrorism Tips · State Preparedness · Volunteer Opportunities
On NYC’s #NPM10 Kickoff Day For CERT: Handing Out Preparedness ‘Goody Bags’, Pushing Hurricane Readiness With Earl Heading Up The Coast & Auditioning For An Emergency PSA
September 3rd, 2010 · 1 Comment
Yesterday, I participated in several Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) activities as part of New York City’s kickoff of National Preparedness Month activities.
First, I handed out preparedness ‘goody bags’ to passersby in Manhattan’s Columbus Circle after stuffing the packages with other members in an impromptu assembly line. In each bag was a READY New [...]
Tags: CERT · Preparedness Events
Fugate Says FEMA Is Reevaluating Future Of CERT: Significant Changes Possible, Including Offering Mini-Course To More Americans, Significantly Expanding Youth Training
August 18th, 2010 · 11 Comments
In response to a question from the audience at the Red Cross Emergency Social Data Summit last week, Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate mentioned that the agency is doing some serious rethinking about the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program as it approaches its 25th Anniversary.
The questioner urged Fugate to move CERT from [...]
Tags: CERT · Federal Emergency Management Administration · Youth Preparedness
Now Ready CERT Member Comes Off ‘Disabled List’ To Help Ready New Yorkers At “National Night Out”
August 3rd, 2010 · 2 Comments
I was thrilled tonight to be able to join my CERT team for the first time since my leukemia returned last November. I took part in the “National Night Out” along with members of our local NYPD precinct in Manhattan. We handed out ReadyNewYork pamphlets, though as I am still building up my stamina I [...]
Tags: CERT · Preparedness Events
NYC CERT Team Leader Writes Journal About Experiences Training Earthquake Survivors In Haiti On Disaster Preparedness & Response
June 29th, 2010 · No Comments
Earlier this month, I wrote about a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) group from New York City that went to Haiti to train earthquake survivors in emergency preparedness and response.
CERT team members along with their Haitian students
Herman Schaffer, the NYC team leader, kept an interesting journal of the experience and posted it on the City’s Office [...]
Tags: CERT · Earthquake Preparedness · International
Attention Fellow CERT Members: Please Send In Your Thoughts On The Program — How Is It Going? What’s Working? What Isn’t? How Could It Be Improved? Any Messages For FEMA?
June 23rd, 2010 · 4 Comments
(I am reposting below a request I made earlier this month to fellow CERT members. I have already received a number of thoughtful responses but figured I would ask again before publishing them.)
Last month, I wrote a post, “As 25th Birthday Approaches, Is It Time To Reevaluate CERT’s Role, Management, Training, Resources, Etc.?â€, discussing the Community Emergency [...]
Tags: CERT
CERT Graduation Today For 400 Haitian Earthquake Survivors Trained In Emergency Preparedness & Response By New York City Team
June 18th, 2010 · 2 Comments
Four hundred Haitian earthquake survivors are graduating today from a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training in disaster preparedness and response. They have been trained by a delegation of New York City  CERT instructors at a ‘displaced persons’ camp.
The team has been teaching the CERT program to classes of 40 to 50 people over a 10-day [...]
Tags: CERT · International
Teenagers Are Focus Of Two Special Emergency Preparedness Training Programs
June 17th, 2010 · 1 Comment
I recently read about two interesting examples of programs aimed at training teenagers in emergency preparedness — the St. Charles (Missouri) County Teen CERT program and Operation Safeguard Academy, a week-long readiness camp in Indianapolis.
The St. Charles County Citizen Corps website describes its educational program for teens:
Four Boy Scout and two Girl Scout troops participated [...]
Facebook Page By Citizen Corps Volunteer For Citizen Corps Volunteers (And Other Interested Facebookers)
June 4th, 2010 · No Comments
I wanted to bring your attention to a new Facebook page started by a Citizen Corps volunteer primarily for other Citizen Corps volunteers (and anyone interested in the topic of public preparedness).
The Citizen Corps Volunteer page was created by Andrew Levy, a friend of this blog, who authors his own Neighbors Helping Neighbors blog. The page [...]
Tags: CERT · Preparedness 2.0 · Preparedness Resources
On Ex-Pres. Clinton’s Referral, New York City CERT Instructors Being Sent To Haiti This Week To Train Haitians In CERT Program
June 1st, 2010 · 2 Comments
New York City’s Office of Emergency Management (NYC OEM) will be sending NYC OEM Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program Staff, CERT Instructors from the Fire Department, and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene staff to train up to 400 Haitian residents in CERT. The team will leave for Haiti on June 7th. According to the [...]
Tags: CERT · International