Preface
This guide has been prepared for direct dissemination to the general public and is
based on the most reliable hazard awareness and emergency education
information available at the time of publication, including advances in scientific
knowledge, more accurate technical language, and the latest physical research on
what happens in disasters.
This publication is, however, too brief to cover every factor, situation, or
difference in buildings, infrastructure, or other environmental features that might
be of interest. To help you explore your interest further, additional sources of
information have been included.
The guide has been designed to help the citizens of this nation learn how to
protect themselves and their families against all types of hazards. It can be used
as a reference source or as a step-by-step manual. The focus of the content is on
how to develop, practice, and maintain emergency plans that reflect what must
be done before, during, and after a disaster to protect people and their property.
Also included is information on how to assemble a disaster supplies kit that
contains the food, water, and other supplies in sufficient quantity for individuals
and their families to survive following a disaster in the event they must rely on
their own resources.
Are You Ready? is just one of many resources the Department of Homeland
Security provides the citizens of this nation to help them be prepared against
all types of hazards. The Department of Homeland Security��s Ready Campaign
seeks to help America be better prepared for even unlikely emergency
scenarios. Information on how the public can be ready in case of a national
emergency – including a possible terrorism attack
involving biological, chemical, or radiological weapons can be found by logging
on to the Department of Homeland Security��s web site, www.ready.gov, or by
calling 1-800-BE-READY for printed information.
CERT
Following a disaster, community members may be on their own for a period of
time because of the size of the area affected, lost communications, and
impassable roads.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program supports local
response capability by training volunteers to organize themselves and
spontaneous volunteers at the disaster site, to provide immediate assistance to
victims, and to collect disaster intelligence to support responders�� efforts when
they arrive.
In the classroom, participants learn about the hazards they face and ways to
prepare for them. CERT members are taught basic organizational skills that they
can use to help themselves, their loved ones, and their neighbors until help
arrives.
Local government, or one of its representatives, sponsor CERT training in the
community. Training consists of 20 hours of instruction on topics that include
disaster preparedness, fire safety, disaster medical operations, light search and
rescue, team organization, and disaster psychology. Upon completion of the
training, participants are encouraged to continue their involvement by
participating in training activities and volunteering for projects that support their
community��s disaster preparedness efforts.
For additional information on CERT, visit
https://www.citizenscorp.gov/cert/ or contact your local Citizen Corps
Council.
Citizen Corps
Citizen Corps provides opportunities for people across the country to participate
in a range of measures to make their families, their homes, and their
communities safer from the threats of crime, terrorism, public health issues, and
disasters of all kinds. Through public education, training opportunities, and
volunteer programs, every American can do their part to be better prepared and
better protected and to help their communities do the same.
Citizen Corps is managed at the local level by Citizen Corps Councils, which
bring together leaders from law enforcement, fire, emergency medical and other
emergency management, volunteer organizations, local elected officials, the
private sector, and other community stakeholders. These Citizen Corps Councils
will organize public education on disaster mitigation and preparedness, citizen
training, and volunteer programs to give people of all ages and backgrounds the
opportunity to support their community��s emergency services and to safeguard
themselves and their property.
By participating in Citizen Corps programs, you can make your home, your
neighborhood and your community a safer place to live. To find out more,
please visit the Citizen Corps Web site,
www.citizencorps.gov or visit
www.fema.gov.
Activities under Citizen Corps include existing and new federally sponsored pro-
grams administered by the Department of Justice (Neighborhood Watch and Vol-
unteers in Police Service), FEMA (Community Emergency Response Teams -
CERT), and Department of Health and Human Services (Medical Reserve
Corps), as well as other activities through Citizen Corps affiliate programs that
share the common goal of community and family safety.
Certificate of Completion
A certificate of completion will be provided to those who successfully complete the
entire guide and score at least 75 percent on a final examination. To take the final
examination, log on to training.fema.gov, click on FEMA Independent Study.
Click on ISP Course List and follow the links for
Are You Ready? An In-
depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness IS-22. Questions should be directed to the
FEMA Independent Study Program by calling 1-800-238-2258 x1200 or email at
Independent .Study@dhs.gov
Facilitator Guide
Teaching others about disaster preparedness is a rewarding experience that
results from knowing you have helped your fellow citizens be ready in the event
a disaster should strike. As a tool to aid those who want to deliver such training,
FEMA developed a Facilitator Guide with an accompanying CD-ROM for use
with this
Are You Ready? guide. The materials are appropriate for use in
training groups such as school children, community organizations, scouts, social
groups, and many others.
The Facilitator Guide includes guidelines on how to deliver training to various
audiences, generic lesson plans for teaching disaster preparedness, and
information on how to obtain other resources that can be used to augment the
material in the
Are You Ready? guide. The CD-ROM contains teaching aids
such as electronic visuals that reflect key information and handouts that can be
printed and distributed to reinforce what is being presented. To obtain a copy of
the Facilitator Guide and CD-ROM, call the FEMA Distribution Center at (800)
480-2520 or request it by writing to:
Federal Emergency Management Agency
P.O. Box 2012 Jessup,
MD 20794-2012
