Third Annual Alabama Citizen Corps Conference
“Citizen Preparedness: Building Resistant and Resilient Communities”

The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort in Point Clear held the 3rd Annual Alabama Citizen Corps Conference, entitled “Citizen Preparedness: Building Resistant and Resilient Communities,” on December 13th-14th.  Over 200 attendees from around the state represented local government, community organizations, volunteers, faith-based groups, and disaster response units.  Speakers included federal officials and national and state professionals in panel discussions and breakout workshops. 

Andrew T. Mitchell from the Office of Domestic Preparedness at the US Department of Homeland Security opened the conference by speaking on “The Importance of Preparedness in America”. In his speech, Mr. Mitchell focused on the unique response of states based on varying disaster risks associated with regional make-up.  He spoke on the importance of the federal government empowering state and local agencies to develop their own disaster response plan.   Following Mr. Mitchell’s address, a Citizen Corps Panel provided attendees with a brief but concrete synopsis of the five different programs of Citizen Corps: Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS), Neighborhood Watch, Fire Corps, and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).  The panel included Heather King from the National Office of Citizen Corps, Nancy Kolb, Project Manager of Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS), Robbie Woodson, Program Director of Neighborhood Watch, Larry Curl, National Coordinator of Fire Corps, Rob Tassato, Director of Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and Kristin McSwain, the new Director for AmeriCorps State and National programs. AmeriCorps and Citizen Corps are recognized as the citizen volunteer programs under USA Freedom Corps. After the program overviews, attendees engaged in a question and answer session with the representatives. During lunch, Sydney Hoffman, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (GFBCI), spoke on Citizen Corps in Alabama showcasing National Preparedness Month and its events. The first day concluded with dinner and an address by Jim Walker, Director of Alabama Department of Homeland Security, entitled, “The State of Preparedness in Alabama.”  Mr. Walker enthusiastically encouraged the crowd to make the most out of each day by serving each other and creating a safer and stronger Alabama.

Day two began with Bruce Baughman, Director of the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, speaking on volunteers in disasters and the importance of their utilization. Irene Collins,  Director of Alabama Department of Senior Services, followed Mr. Baughman in discussing senior citizen inclusion in disaster planning and response activities.  Ken Skalitzky, the Voluntary Agency Liaison for FEMA Region IV, gave the keynote address during lunch entitled, “Collaborating with Volunteer Organizations”. 

 The conference closed with the second Citizen Corps panel highlighting best practices from across the country.  Joe Davis, Assistant Director of the Alabama Department of Homeland Security, moderated this panel comprised of national professionals honored for their service to the Citizen Corps programs. The panel focused on member recruitment, managing unaffiliated volunteers, training, programming, volunteer retention, and community organization.

Exhibitors hosting displays during the conference included: Southern LINC, Sunbelt Fire, ProPac, Armor CERT, Rite in the Rain, MTS, and the Alabama Department of Public Health.   

Thank you to all the attendees and speakers that participated in discussions and sharing of knowledge during the two days in Point Clear.  If you were not able to attend the conference, be sure to check our website for pictures and postings of the presentations you missed.  Hope to see you all again next year.

To learn about Alabama's National Preparedness Month last September, Click Here

 

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