Kiwanis Preparedness Presentation

Delaware Citizen Corps gave a Disaster Preparedness Presentation to the Seaford Kiwanis Club at their monthly meeting.  Twenty Five members attended the presentation held at the Manor House in Seaford.  The POC’s for the presentation was Jim Thompson and Mrs Rose Poole, who took the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training with the Dover District AME Churches.

Spring Showers or Spring Flooding?

Flooding is a coast to coast threat to Delawareans during all months of the year.  Anywhere it rains, it can flood.  This week, 26 States are reporting flooding and flash flooding, with flood watches and warnings currently in effect throughout the Eastern and Southern United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Midwestern states are especially susceptible to snow melt and ice jam that cause spring flooding, but states in every region of the country are at risk.  Floodsmart.gov defines a flood as a general and temporary condition where two or more acres of normally dry land or two or more properties are inundated by water or mudflow. 

The 14th through 18th of March is National Flood Safety Awareness Week.  Its purpose is to highlight some of the many ways floods can occur, the hazards associated with floods, and what can be done to safe life and property.  “It is important to be prepared for flooding regardless of location, but particularly if situated in a low-lying area, near water or downstream from a dam.”

The following resources are available to promote flooding awareness and preparedness to enhance personnel safety:

·         The Ready Campaign

·         National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Flood Safety  

·         FEMA’s FloodSmart Program

·         FEMA’s Flood Preparedness

·         Flood Insurance  

  

Clayton-Smyrna CERT Presentation

Delaware Citizen Corps gave a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Preparedness Presentation at the St. Polycarp Church in Smyrna. Over 40 people attended the presentation which was hosted by the Clayton Knights of Columbus.  Also invited were the Towns of Clayton and Smyrna to attend this monthly meeting.  The POC for the presentation was Jack Dungee. Plans in the future include a possible partnership between the two towns to host a CERT Class.

Disaster Preparedness Presentation for Early Head Start

On January 31 – DE Citizen Corps gave a Disaster Preparedness Presentation for the New Directions Early Head Start Program at the University Of Delaware. Twenty staff members of New Directions and three members of the UD Center for Disabilities Studies were present. This is the first of future presentations for early Head Start, Citizen Corps is also working on a new project with the UD Center for Disabilities Studies in addition to one from last year. Cindy Genau is the POC for New Directions and Phyllis Guinivan is the POC for the UD Center for Disabilities Studies.

Disaster Preparedness Workshop

On Jan 22, Citizen Corps provided a Disaster Preparedness Workshop to the New Hope Recreation and Development Center in Ellendale, Sussex County.  Twenty people attended the workshop which focused on Family Emergency Planning. Their mission and focus is providing educational opportunities to at risk youth through after school programs.  Some of the programs provided are help with home work, one on one tutoring with special emphasis on math and reading, lecturers that provide instruction on bullying, healthy eating, science, read a long and tobacco abstention programs.  They are also expanding their offerings to include Adult Programs that will involve Adult Computer Training, Red Cross -CPR Training, Health Awareness, Financial Planning and Emergency Preparedness. The POC and Director of the Center is Mr Kendal Tyer.

Be Ready in 2011: Make a Plan

Be Ready in 2011: Make a Plan: " Originally Posted By: Rachel Racusen, Director, Public Affairs FEMA

We make plans for almost anything. In a typical day, you might plan for how you’ll make your morning commute, what you will have for lunch, how you will accomplish projects at work, and what meal you will have upon returning home.

As the New Year approaches, we’re encouraging Americans to take three simple steps to get prepared before a disaster strikes: get a kit, make a plan, and be informed. Planning for a potential emergency can ease the stress of an emergency situation, and can ultimately save your life, or the life of someone you love.

We hope you will take this opportunity to Resolve to be Ready in 2011 and create your emergency plan today. Here are a few tips from Ready.gov, FEMA’s preparedness website, to get you started:

• Write down your family’s plan, and store it in a safe place (preferably with your emergency kit).
• Decide on a safe meeting place in your home, in your community, and in a nearby town. In case your home or community is damaged, family members will know where to go.
• Review (and practice!) your family emergency plan at least two times per year.
• Decide how family members will communicate after a disaster. Text messaging often works despite phone network disruptions, so teach family members how to use text messaging.
• Subscribe to alert services in your area. Many communities now have systems that will send instant text alerts or e-mails to let you know about bad weather, road closings, local emergencies, etc. Sign up by visiting your local Office of Emergency Management web site.

What creative ways does your family, or workplace, practice its emergency plan? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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Preparedness Presentation at the Federal Courthouse

Bob George, Marny McLee and Justin Kates of Delaware Citizen Corps provided two separate Preparedness Presentations at the Federal Court House in Wilmington (one in the morning and one in the afternoon). Members of the United States Attorney General’s Office, United States Marshals’ Service, United States Attorney’s Office, Federal Public Defender’s Office, United States Probation Office, United States District Court Clerk’s Office, and the United States Bankruptcy Court Clerk’s Office attended the training .  The presentations were done jointly with the Wilmington Office of Emergency Management, Director George Giles and Margie Williams which briefed on the cities evacuation plan. The POC’s for the Presentation were Joe Papili of the U.S. Marshals Office and Bob Prettyman of the U.S. Attorneys Office.