Harris County Citizen Corps is Recognized for Efforts to Improve Community Resilience - Kingwood

FEMA Administrator W. Craig Fugate, National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), Incoming President David Maxwell, and International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) President Russ Decker announced the award recipients during a ceremony at the 2009 National Conference on Community Preparedness (NCCP) in Arlington, Virginia.

The Volunteer Integration Award recognizes the Citizen Corps Council for effectively tapping into the service of dedicated community residents in supporting emergency services year round and that has integrated volunteers in preparedness and response efforts.

“Harris County Citizen Corps volunteers are essential partners and play a crucial role in disaster preparedness and recovery,” said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, director of the Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management. “Our volunteers have proven themselves through numerous emergencies, the latest being Hurricane Ike.”

Ike volunteers distributed 1.1 million gallons of water, 10.5 million pounds of ice and 2.8 million ready-to-eat meals. Medical Reserve Corps volunteers delivered 81,410 meals and conducted visual health screenings for homebound residents.

“We’re very fortunate to have over 200 CERT teams in our area,” said Harris County Emergency Management Coordinator and Citizen Corps Director Mark Sloan. “We have over 18,000 volunteers, giving us additional resources outside of government.”

Harris County Citizen Corps, a model for community preparedness, has received numerous recognitions for its work, including the presidential "Call to Service Award" at the White House last year, for its crucial role in coordinating over 60,000 volunteers during the region’s response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

“This program is not a hit or miss, it’s a 24/7, 365 days opportunity for us to change the culture of preparedness in America,” added Sloan.

National Citizen Corps Achievement Award recipients exemplify excellence in community emergency planning, foster successful public-private partnerships, prioritize collaboration, demonstrate creative and innovative local problem solving, and implement sound programs that can be modeled for use by other communities.