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VirginiaCORPS in the News
Pittsylvania County CERT Volunteers Florida Bound

(From WAKG News, Sept. 8, 2004)

Chatham – Recent Pittsylvania County CERT team graduate Billy Jo Roach decided to go to south Florida as soon as she learned of the area’s devastation, according to Emergency Services Director Jim Davis. Roach is one of three area CERT volunteers who will help with cleanup from Hurricane Frances, acting as liaisons between disaster victims and federal relief workers.

Pee Wees Gain Fire Know How

(The Connection Newspapers; July 29, 2004)

Fire safety education is not limited to the school year and it’s best learned as young as possible.Read more >>

Mercy Medical Airlift To Partner With Citizen Corps In Promoting Emergency Prepareness And Volunteerism Localities Across The Nation

(USAonwatch.com; By FEMA; May 3, 2004)

C. Suzanne Mencer, Director of the Office for Domestic Preparedness within the Department of Homeland Security, today announced an official affiliate partnership between Mercy Medical Airlift (MMA) and Citizen Corps, the Department’s nationwide grass roots movement to actively involve everyone in America in making our communities and our nation safer, stronger, and better prepared for emergencies

Governor Warner helps lay water and sewage pipe in Derby, Virginia as part of the Self-Help Virginia water project. The project relies on volunteer labor to install public water systems in small, rural communities. (Read more.)

Volunteer Profile
This month: Leah Updegrave, AmeriCorps Member

Recent Releases
New Citizen Corps Affiliates Announced

Citizen Corps is pleased to welcome the support of The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary as our two newest Affiliates! (Read more)

Fire Corps Program Announced

On Dec. 9, 2004, the Department of Homeland Security announced the launch of the Fire Corps program. (Read more)

CERT Training for Boy Scouts

CERT members assisted fire and rescue teams from Fairfax County, Va. and Prince George County, Md. with training more than 70 Explorer-level Boy Scouts in an exercise in Fairfax on Oct. 16. (Read more)

Governor Warner Joins in Nationwide Proclamation of September as Preparedness Month

RICHMOND – Governor Mark R. Warner announced today that he has proclaimed September Preparedness Month in Virginia and is encouraging all Virginians to take steps to be ready for emergencies and disasters of all kinds. (Read more.)

Virginian Citizen Corps Members Headed to Florida for Hurricane Aid

RICHMOND – Thirty-five Virginia Citizen Corps members are heading to Florida this week to assist communities devastated by hurricanes Charley and Frances. (Read more.)

Virginians Encouraged to Join Communities Nationwide August 3rd for “America’s Night Out Against Crime”

RICHMOND – Governor Mark R. Warner is inviting all Virginians to join him as he takes to the streets August 3, 2004, for the 21st Annual National Night Out. The Governor will be visiting several neighborhoods in the Commonwealth that Tuesday evening to participate in local National Night Out activities and promote community spirit and crime prevention through police-community partnerships. (Read more.)

See the complete list of Press Releases >>

Recent Publications
Read a brief overview of Virginia’ 2003 Citizen Corps Program, written by Suzanne R. Simmons, Citizen Corps Program Manager for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Virginia’s Preparedness Program Sets a Standard was originally printed in the Virginia Review. (Reprinted with permission from Review Publications, Inc., Virginia Review, Vol. 81, No. 6, 2003.)

Check out the new postings in our Best Practices section.

Read the USA Freedom Corps monthly e-newsletter.

Nationwide Status Alert “Elevated” 

Find out what the different alert levels mean and what steps to take.

Develop a family disaster plan to keep your family safe.

Read Are You Ready? A Guide For Citizen Preparedness for protective measures you and your family can take to be ready for disasters and emergencies.

Volunteer to help the state prepare.