(Councils/Partners are listed alphabetically below.)

NEW! Citizen Corps Small Project Grants have been Awarded!

• American Red Cross of Northern WV Chapter Grouping: Four chapters of the American Red Cross, covering the 32 northernmost counties of West Virginia, will recruit and train volunteers for mass care sheltering and feeding. Recruitment efforts for this project target four counties (one in each chapter) that have few or no Red Cross volunteers. This project will expand WV’s capacity for responding to a Western Mass Migration by building systems for response in communities with few resources.
• Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley: Acting with the Mid Ohio Valley Medical Reserve Corps, the Arc of the Mid Ohio Valley will distribute 3000+ flyers and prepare training for 500 persons on caring for disabled individuals during a crisis. Planned focus groups will involve key stakeholders including people with disabilities, volunteer agencies, emergency planners, and first responders and will begin to incorporate special needs persons in the disaster planning process. 
• City of Bridgeport: The City of Bridgeport Citizen Corps Council search and rescue team will simulate a search for a missing person in rural Harrison County. This project will fund planning, equipment, and training for the event which expects to utilize up to 100 volunteers.
• Franklin Citizen Corps Council: Franklin Citizen Corps Council along with the Pendleton County Local Emergency Planning Committee has established an emergency shelter and obtained cots, blankets, and other supplies. The group will purchase a storage trailer to store and transport shelter supplies during a disaster.
• Harrison County LEPC/Citizen Corps Council: The Harrison County Citizen Corps Council will make additional training available for CERT volunteers including National Incident Management Systems, Incident Command, and National Response Framework training. As a result, volunteers will be better able to assist first responders during an emergency.
• Harrison County LEPC/Medical Reserve Corps: In the event of an emergency, the Harrison County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) will assist the health care system in providing vaccinations for the 68,000 people of the county. This project will provide equipment for training, increasing the MRC’s capacity to respond when needed.
• Jackson County Medical Reserve Corps: The Jackson County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) will purchase supplies for a Tabletop City to enhance disaster volunteer training. The city will allow MRC volunteers and community groups to train in National Incident Management Systems compliance. A Spontaneous Volunteer Reception Center will house the project so that it can be used to direct disaster volunteers on assignments. 
• Mid Ohio Valley Medical Reserve Corps/Volunteer Action Center: The Mid Ohio Valley Medical Reserve Corps will conduct a two-week volunteer recruitment “blitz” geared towards enhancing its Volunteer Mobilization Center (VMC). Of twenty-five newly recruited volunteers, 15 will be trained to staff the VMC and 5 will be certified as trainer/recruiters. Public awareness elements include multiple media releases, a circulating display booth, and a VMC mini-drill. 
• Ohio County Citizen Corps Council: The Ohio County Citizen Corps is actively grooming volunteers for its Community Emergency Response Teams, Volunteers in Police Service, Fire Corps, Neighborhood Watch Groups and Medical Reserve Corps. Portable teaching equipment purchased with this grant will increase training opportunities in the area, including program expansion to local colleges and universities.
• RSVP of the United Way of Central West Virginia: This RSVP program will increase emergency preparedness for seniors and special needs persons in Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, and Putnam counties by providing home disaster preparedness kits. Volunteers will distribute kits to seniors and disabled adults who live in areas at risk for natural disasters and chemical or industrial emergencies.
• Town of Wardensville: In the Town of Wardensville (Hardy County), where there is only one first responder, volunteer efforts are crucial to successful hazard mitigation. Grant funds will provide CERT equipment for volunteer training. As a result, volunteers can provide traffic control, assist special needs persons, and serve in other support roles in the event of an emergency.
• Tyler County Citizen Corps Council: Tyler County Citizen Corps Council is active in training and recruiting volunteers around disaster preparedness. Funds will help outfit local Search and Rescue Team leaders with proper equipment that will be used in training exercises and will be available for use in a crisis.
• Wetzel-Tyler Medical Reserve Corps: The Wetzel-Tyler Medical Reserve Corps, in cooperation with the Wetzel-Tyler Health Department, will use grant funds to enhance its Point of Distribution (POD) system. Existing systems for vaccine distribution are inadequate. This project will buy needed safety supplies, crowd control barriers, and radios to facilitate communication and streamline the delivery process.