National Preparedness Month – Remember to PICK!

As National Preparedness Month draws to a close, the Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management asks residents to remember one simple acronym that will help you with your personal preparedness: PICK!

P - Plan

I - Informed

C - Community

K - Kit

Make a family communication Plan; stay Informed about the world around you; get involved in your Community by volunteering for Citizen Corps programs; assemble an emergency supply Kit.

Residents can find out more by visiting the Ready Campaign, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Fairfax County Citizen Corps and the American Red Cross.

For more information, contact Ellen Kamilakis, OEM, or visit the Fairfax County emergency information Web page.

Fairfax County Declares National Preparedness Month

The Fairfax County (Virginia) Board of Supervisors proclaimed September to be National Preparedness Month. The proclamation was presented to the Office of Emergency Management and Fairfax County Citizen Corps Council.

Fairfax County Launches Special Needs Registry

Fairfax County has launched the special needs registry for residents of Fairfax County. The medical needs registry will register individual with medical needs and the social needs registry will register organizations that serve people with social needs.

Fairfax County defines a person with a medical need as one who has a high-risk health condition that is either temporary or chronic who cannot manage for themselves in a shelter or evacuation center and will require assistance in performing the activities of daily living and/or will require care for and the monitoring of a health condition.

People with social needs are considered to be vulnerable, at-risk or hard to reach in the event of an emergency, but are not medically dependent. This group may need specialized communications and/or transportation but do not require additional support. For example the social needs population is comprised of people who are: older adults or young children; economically disadvantaged; reliant on public transportation; isolated by culture or religion; affected by the digital divide; incarcerated; and living in or attending licensed facilities. This group also includes people who have: household pets or service animals; limited English proficiency; and disabilities.

For additional information, visit the Fairfax County Special Needs Registry Web page.

First Posting

Welcome to the First Posting of the Citizen Corps Council Blog.