Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Americans have acted with courage, compassion, and unity. To capture this spirit and to foster an American culture of service, citizenship, and responsibility, President Bush is calling upon all Americans to dedicate at least two years of their lives-the equivalent of 4,000 hours-in service to others. He launched the USA Freedom Corps initiative to inspire and enable all Americans to find ways to serve.

West Virginia Citizen Corps Council

The West Virginia Citizen Corps was established in January, 2003 in response to President Bush's call to action and because experience shows that volunteerism is a viable means for solving community challenges.
The West Virginia Citizen's Corps Council is an advisory committee of the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service and the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The Council provides direction on issues related to homeland security and the role volunteers can play in disaster preparedness and response. The West Virginia Citizen Corps Council will:

• Support the development and coordination of local Citizen Corps Councils throughout the state
• Broker federal, state, and local resources for local volunteer Citizen Corps initiatives.
• Coordinate with the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to enact the state plan and channel federal resources for training and technical assistance.

Local Citizen Corps Councils

Citizen Corps is a component of the USA Freedom Corps that creates opportunities for individuals to volunteer to help their communities prepare for and respond to emergencies. They bring together local leaders, individual volunteers, and the network of first responder organizations such as police departments, fire departments, and emergency medical personnel. The goal is to have all citizens participate in making their communities safer, stronger, and better prepared for preventing and handling threats of terrorism, crime, and disasters of all kinds. Programs of the West Virginia Citizen Corps include:

• Community Emergency Response Teams
• Neighborhood Watch Programs
• Volunteers in Police Service
• Medical Reserve Corps
• Citizen Corps Councils

There are presently 60 councils registered in West Virginia. For local contact information, click here.

Starting a Local Citizen Corps Council

If you are interested in forming a Citizen Corps Council in your community, check out the "getting started" section of this Citizen Corps guide. It provides a step-by-step process to get your council going. Use the Citizen Corps website to locate the existing Citizen Corps council nearest you. Register your council on www.citizencorps.gov so that you can receive the most up to date information on Citizen Corps developments in the state. If you would like assistance in organizing a local Citizen Corps Council, please contact Heather Foster at (304) 558-0111 or email her at Heather.R.Foster@wv.gov.”

You can access the following publications by clicking on these links:

A Guide for Local Officials (PDF, 789 KB)
Accessible file (Word, 197 KB)
Are You Ready? - A Guide to Citizen Preparedness
Citizen Preparedness Research

To find more information about planning for individual, family, and community preparedness, response, and recovery from disasters see:

Home Safety Council
Citizen Corps Partner Pages
Citizen Corps Affiliate Pages
American Red Cross
Federal Emergency Management
WV Council of Churches