The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) with the Corporation for National and Community
Service (CNCS) today announced an innovative new partnership designed to
strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to and recover from disasters.
FEMA Corps is an historic collaboration between a federal
agency and a national service organization and will create a new unit of
AmeriCorps’ National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) whose members will be
devoted solely to FEMA disaster response and recovery efforts. The five-year
agreement provides for a full service corps of 1,600 members annually who will
be an additional workforce in support of FEMA’s current disaster reserve
workforce.
This new partnership is important for many reasons but none
more important than the positive impact it will have on disaster survivors.
NCCC FEMA Corps will strengthen the nation’s disaster response by providing a
dedicated, trained and reliable workforce to support disaster survivors and
impacted communities during their greatest time of need.
The NCCC members will increase diversity of the disaster
workforce, while providing educational and economic opportunities for young
people as they consider their future careers. The FEMA Corps members will serve
for a 10 month term with an option to extend for a second year. The program
will prepare thousands of young people for careers in emergency management and
related fields. During their service, they will gain significant training and
experience in disaster services and will provide important support to disaster
survivors.
This new effort will promote an ethos of national service
and civic engagement by mobilizing corps members and
community volunteers to provide critical disaster services. Once trained by
FEMA and, CNCS, members will provide support in areas ranging from
Community Relations to Disaster Recovery Centers . The first members will begin
serving in September 2012 and the program will reach full capacity within 18
months.
To learn more about FEMA Corps please see the AmeriCorps
website http://www.americorps.gov/about/programs/nccc.asp
or FEMA’s website at www.fema.gov.
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