Get Involved

In the face of disaster, Americans come together with courage, compassion and unity and ask, “How can I help?”

There are many ways to Get Involved especially before a disaster occurs.  The whole community can participate in programs and activities to make their families, homes and communities safer from risks and threats.  Community leaders agree the formula for ensuring a safer homeland consists of volunteers, a trained and informed public and increased support of emergency response agencies during disasters. Major disasters can overwhelm first responder agencies, empowering individuals to lend support.

So Get Involved before disaster strikes! Here are a few ways you can help:

  • Volunteer to support disaster efforts in your community. Get trained and volunteer with a Community Emergency Response Team, Medical Reserve Corps unit and/or other Citizen Corps Partner Program or Affiliate organization.  Manylocal faith-based and community organizations have programs active in supporting disasters too. View more volunteer opportunities.
  • Be part of the  community planning process . Connect and collaborate with your local emergency planning group, Citizen Corps Council or local emergency management agency. Contact nearest planning organization.
  • Join or start a preparedness project. Find an event or identify local resources, build a team, choose a project, set goals and serve your community by improving the preparedness of your friends, colleagues and neighbors. Get started.
  • Support major disasters by donating cash or goods which may help meet the needs of your community in times of disaster. Learn more.

This represents only a few of the many ways that individuals and community organizations can Get Involved to help communities lessen, prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. If you have additional ideas or success stories, you may share them by posting them on http://community.fema.gov.

For additional opportunities that may be unique to your community, contact your local emergency management agency or Citizen Corps Council in your area.