National Volunteer Week-- 10-16 April 2011

National Volunteer Week is observed 10-16 April, and according to  FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy, it’s all about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities.

“National Volunteer Week offers an invaluable moment in time to celebrate this nation’s volunteers, and sounds a clarion call for all of us to help strengthen our communities,” said Murphy.  “Planning for disasters means that we must plan for the Whole Community, including people of different ages and those with various access and functional needs.  It means planning for children – and not just thinking of them as small adults. It means planning for the elderly, and planning for families without access to personal transportation.  Whole Community preparedness means more than just planning for what’s easy – we have to plan for what’s real.”

FEMA’s Resolve to be Ready in 2011 campaign promotes Whole Community involvement in disaster preparedness. “Become involved in volunteer programs that strengthen your community’s disaster resilience. Investigate training and volunteer opportunities available through the American Red Cross, Citizen Corps or Community Emergency Response Teams,” continued Murphy. “No matter how busy or hectic our daily routine, we all need to take the time to take positive action to prepare ourselves, our loved ones and our communities in the event of severe weather, earthquake—or any other major disaster.”

Resolve to be Ready in 2011 is led by FEMA’s Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and The Advertising Council.  For more information on the Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps, visit  www.fema.gov,  Ready.gov and CitizenCorps.gov. Follow FEMA online at www.twitter.com/fema, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Follow Administrator Craig Fugate's activities at www.twitter.com/craigatfema.  Social media links are provided for reference only. FEMA does not endorse non-government websites, companies or applications.

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.