CERT Trains with the Best of the Best

Our previous discussion was about CERT (Indirectly) Plays Role in Haiti as the CERT volunteeers were volunteer victims for multiple Urban Search and Rescue Exercises to help them prepare for responses like Haiti.

"Yes, that man in the stars and stripes headwrap is our very own CERT instructor Steve Willey. Steve is a structural engineer with Virginia Task force one. www.vatf1.org" (Source: Fairfax County CERT Blog).

This is just more proof that many of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) students train with the best of the best.

Thanks to Steve and all the Urban Search and Rescue Teams responding to this disaster. We wish you all safe returns and look forward to you sharing your experiences through future training sessions once you get settled back.

Fairfax County H1N1 Clinics Featured in CBS Evening News

On the day President Obama declared a National State of Emergency for H1N1, Fairfax County and the H1N1 Mass Clinics held at the Government Center are featured in the CBS Evening News report.

The following CBS Evening News Video and news story are available online.

The clinics were run by Fairfax County Health Department Employees and hundreds of volunteers from the Fairfax County Medical Reserve Corps.

Other Citizen Corps volunteer groups also participated, including Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) and Auziliary Police Officers (APOs).

Webcast to the American People - H1N1

For Immediate Release:

HHS Secretary Sebelius and DHS Secretary Napolitano will host a Webcast to answer questions from the American people regarding the H1N1 flu on Thursday at 1:00 PM EDT. They will be joined by Acting Director of CDC, Dr. Besser.

The Webcast can be viewed at www.hhs.gov and www.cdc.gov.

4,000 Hours Marked On Special Day In Nation's History

"In his 2002 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush issued a challenge to all Americans to make time to help their neighbors, communities, and Nation through service. He called on each person to dedicate at least 4,000 hours – or two years – to service over the course of their lives. He created the USA Freedom Corps to help all Americans answer his call to service and help foster a culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility. "


This week, as we celebrate MLK Day National Call to Service and today with the inauguration of a new president, Neighbors Helping Neighbors would like to also congratulate Andrew Levy.

During this momentous time in our nation's history, he has reached the President's Call To Service of 4,000 hours, while volunteering during MLK Day and Inauguration.

Picture above being congratulated by American Red Cross' Celebrity Cabinet Member Leeza Gibbons (also from Entertainment Tonight and Leeza), in the Regional Disaster Coordination Center.

To get involved in community service and additional information on the President's Call To Service, please visit:

http://www.presidentialserviceawards.gov/

And to volunteer with the American Red Cross, please visit:

http://www.redcrossnca.org/

Colin Powell Announces President-Elect Obama’s Call to National Service

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, January 09, 2009
CONTACT: Sandy Scott
Phone: 202-606-6724
Email: sscott@cns.gov

Colin Powell Announces President-Elect Obama’s Call to National Service

Washington D.C. – At a packed news conference here today, General Colin Powell, USA (Ret) and the Presidential Inaugural Committee announced President-elect Obama’s plans to call on Americans to serve their communities on the King Holiday and throughout the year.

As part of his “Renew America Together” initiative, the President-elect wants to ignite the spirit of service in our nation by asking all Americans to make a lasting pledge to serve their communities.

“At this moment of great purpose and great promise, President-elect Obama is calling on all Americans to make an ongoing commitment to serve their communities and their country,” said Powell. “The Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday is not only a day off but also for the last 14 years, it has been a day on. It’s a day to reach out to our fellow citizens in need.”

Powell unveiled http://www.usaservice.org/, a new website created by the Presidential Inaugural Committee where Americans can find volunteer opportunities for the January 19 King Holiday or sign up to host a local event. Nearly 5,000 events are already listed on the website.

Powell commended the many organizations that are planning King Day of Service projects, including the Corporation for National and Community Service, the federal agency charged by Congress in 1994 with transforming the King Holiday into a national day of service. The Corporation has been working closely with the Presidential Inaugural Committee for the past month on the website and larger effort to call Americans to service.

For the past fourteen years, the Corporation has worked with the King Center in Atlanta and nonprofit, education, corporate, and community groups across the country to organize projects on the King holiday. The agency encourages its large network of AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America programs to lead or participate in King Day of Service projects.

Powell was joined at the event by Roxanna Garcia Marcus, a former AmeriCorps member with City Year who shared her personal journey of service. Marcus is one of tens of thousands of AmeriCorps members and alums who are taking part in this year’s King Day of Service.

“If there is one common experience I wish for every American, it’s to know the power of service – to have the opportunity to be a part of something larger than yourself and make a positive impact on your community. AmeriCorps gave me my opportunity.”

A Florida native, Marcus first came to the Washington D.C. area when she served for two years as an AmeriCorps member with City Year. A first-generation American, Roxanna said she was drawn to the opportunity to give back to her community and country in a meaningful and lasting way. Marcus currently serves as the Development Manager for Year Up, an intensive training program that provides urban young adults with technical and professional skills, college credits, an educational stipend and corporate apprenticeship. Marcus cites her AmeriCorps experience at City Year with changing her career focus to the nonprofit sector.

“In this time of great need, we need to reignite our nation’s spirit of service, starting on King Day and lasting throughout the year,” said Nicola Goren, the Corporation’s Acting CEO. “We salute President-elect Obama, Colin Powell, and the Presidential Inaugural Committee for making service a centerpiece of the Inauguration and launching this broad call to service.

In addition to asking Americans to serve, President-elect Obama, Vice President-elect Biden, and their families will participate in service on the holiday in the Washington D.C. area. The President-elect’s service on the holiday continues a tradition started by President Clinton and continued by President Bush.

A wide variety of projects are being planned for the King Holiday including delivering meals, refurbishing schools and community centers, collecting food and clothing, removing graffiti, reading to children and more. Many organizations use the day as a springboard for year-round civic action, such as signing up mentors or tutors or youth taking pledges of nonviolence.

The Corporation for National and Community Service improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Each year, the Corporation provides opportunities for four million Americans of all ages and backgrounds to serve their communities and country through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America. For more information, go to http://www.nationalservice.gov/.

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Another Look Back (1995) and Looking Forward

In 1995, "Obama Introduces Bill to Create National Emergency Volunteer Corps"

http://obama.senate.gov/press/050908-obama_introduce_1/index.php

"... Unfortunately, my office has received numerous complaints from volunteer doctors that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) did not return their phone calls, did not have information on how they could volunteer, or simply referred them to local authorities who were not able to help them. Doctors who attempted to volunteer their services on the HHS website encountered significant difficulties as well. Such a lack of information and responsiveness is shocking during a time of emergency. Given the urgent need to get medical personnel to affected areas as soon as possible, I am writing to request that you direct DHS, FEMA, HHS, and all other relevant agencies to work with the Red Cross and hospitals in affected areas to eliminate any bureaucratic obstacles preventing much-needed services from getting to hurricane victims. This includes providing more detailed information to the medical profession about how they can volunteer their services, better coordination of volunteer doctors and nurses with the Red Cross and local hospitals, and waivers of liability for volunteer medical professionals. The health of too many people remains at risk, and bureaucratic red tape and run-arounds should not prevent these people from getting the help they need. Sincerely, Barack Obama United States Senator "

While programs such as the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) have been created, more progress needs to be made.

For example, when an MRC chapter plans to offer Psychological First Aid to MRC volunteers, does it not make sense to use a course that is widely available through a partner agency, such as the Red Cross? If there are elements that are specific to MRC, then add a brief supplement to the Red Cross course, not start from scratch. If something is developed, it needs to be easily made available to other MRC chapters.

In the past few years, we have seen many volunteers who have become very active in multiple organizations. From Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Volunteer Centers, Neighborhood Watch, Red Cross, Amateur Radio, etc. While the programs have all come to the table through Citizen Corps Council meetings, there has been less focus on the volunteers. Now, more than ever, there is a need to leverage those volunteers who are cross trained. These volunteers can form specialized "action" teams who can help coordinate volunteer efforts between multiple volunteer organizations.

There also needs to be greater focus on having all the volunteer organizations come together through a full scale exercise. During a disaster or major emergency is not the time to have all these trained volunteers work together for the first time. The exercises need to include government agencies, so the volunteers know where they fit, who they will be working with, and also the limitations.

This is not directed to any specific chapter of the MRC, Red Cross, or other Citizen Corps organization. It is directed towards change.

Change.gov - America Servers - Call to Action

In 2009, it is time again for a call to "Action". Check out the following website:

http://change.gov/americaserves/

Take a few moments to look back in time.

The following Ad Council video is from 1973.



Many of these programs, like Peace Corps, Vista, and others continue today.

Election Lessons Learned for MRC

As the polling places have opened in the United States, there are already long lines at local schools.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors will monitor the news reports from the polling to capture some lessons learned that may benefit the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) or other mass distribution organizations.

In the event there ever is a major mass medical distribution, the lines are expected to be larger than that from an election.