2016 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Award Application Period Now Open

WASHINGTON – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is pleased to announce that the application period for the 2016 Individual and Community Preparedness Awards is open. The awards highlight innovative local practices and achievements by individuals and organizations that made outstanding contributions toward making their communities safer, better prepared, and more resilient.

Emergency management is most effective when the entire community is engaged and involved. Everyone, including faith-based organizations, voluntary agencies, the private sector, tribal organizations, youth, people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs, and older adults can make a difference in their communities before, during, and after disasters.

FEMA will review all entries and select the finalists. A distinguished panel of representatives from the emergency management community will then select winners in each of the following categories:

• Outstanding Citizen Corps Council 
• Community Preparedness Champions
• Awareness to Action
• Technological Innovation
• Outstanding Achievement in Youth Preparedness
• Preparing the Whole Community
• Outstanding Inclusive Initiatives in Emergency Management (new category)
• Outstanding Private Sector Initiatives (new category)
• Outstanding Community Emergency Response Team Initiatives
• Outstanding Citizen Corps Partner Program
• America’s PrepareAthon! in Action (new category)

Winners will be announced in the fall of 2016 and will be invited as FEMA’s honored guests at a recognition ceremony. The winner of the Preparing the Whole Community category will receive the John D. Solomon Whole Community Preparedness Award.

To be considered for this year’s awards, all submissions must be received by March 28, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. EDT and must feature program activities taking place between January 1, 2015, and March 28, 2016. Applications should be submitted to citizencorps@fema.dhs.gov.

More information about the awards is available at ready.gov/preparedness-awards.

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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

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