FEMA Corps Arrives to Work with Local Communities on Disaster Preparedness

FEMA Corps arrived in Lynnwood, Washington on March 28^th, 2013 to work with the FEMA Region 10 External Affairs office. FEMA Corps, which is part of  AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), will be planning and implementing at least three events focused on community involvement in disaster preparedness. This is the team’s first assignment since completing 6 weeks of in depth training.

The FEMA Corps team known as Gold 4 is from the NCCC Pacific Region campus in Sacramento, California. Gold 4 was the only team out of 20 teams from the Pacific Region campus to be sent to Washington. The team has been tasked to organize community events focused on increasing disaster preparedness within Region X which serves the population of Washington, Alaska, Oregon, and Idaho. The team will document the planning process to ensure projects can be easily replicated in other communities.

Team member Carrie Fowler is “excited to learn about how communities get involved when preparing for disasters.” The team of 10 is from all over the country, representing the states of California, Virginia, Michigan, Nevada, Missouri, Oregon and Washington.

Gold 4 is looking forward to working with Region 10 and community members in increasing awareness and knowledge of local natural hazards and empowering individuals and families to take charge of their own disaster preparedness.

To stay updated on Gold 4 and their work with communities and FEMA, you can ‘like’ their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/G4FEMACorps

AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, residential, national service program in which 1,200 young adults serve nationwide each year.  During their 10-month term, Corps Members – all 18 to 24 years old – work on teams of 8  to 12 on projects that address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation, and urban and rural development. Members work on a series of different projects, typically lasting six to eight weeks each, to mentor students, construct and rehabilitate low-income housing, respond to natural disasters, clean up streams, help communities develop emergency plans, and address countless other local needs. The Pacific Region campus in Sacramento is one of five regional hubs in the United States and serves ten states in the western part of the country.  The other campuses are located in Denver, Colorado; Perry Point, Maryland; Vinton, Iowa; and Vicksburg, Mississippi. 

In exchange for their service, Corps Members receive $5,550 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans.  Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, people can indeed make a difference.  AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service.  The Corporation improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC, visit the website at www.americorps.gov/nccc.

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