News & Events

Press Releases

National Association For Search And Rescue To Partner With Citizen Corps In Promoting Emergency Preparedness And Volunteerism In Localities Across The Nation

Release Date: June 2

LEESBURGH, Va. -- Chief R. David Paulison, Director, Preparedness Division, Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate within the Department of Homeland Security, today announced an official affiliate partnership between the National Association for Search and Rescue (NASAR) and Citizen Corps. At the 2004 NASAR Conference in Lansdowne, VA, NASAR and Citizen Corps agreed to raise public awareness about emergency preparedness and search and rescue as a critical component of community safety through the state and local Citizen Corps Councils.

Chief Paulison expressed support for the affiliation saying, "NASAR's comprehensive search and rescue training program builds on the introductory training in the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. It provides citizens interested in search and rescue the opportunity to pursue a greater role in responding to emergencies and disasters in their communities."

The National Association for Search and Rescue is a non-profit membership association dedicated to advancing professional, literary, and scientific knowledge in search and rescue and related fields. NASAR is comprised of thousands of paid and non-paid professionals interested in all aspects of search and rescue throughout the United States and around the world. NASAR has trained over 30,000 responders since 1989 utilizing its internationally respected SARTECH© Certification Program. NASAR is dedicated to ensuring that volunteers in search and rescue are as prepared as the career public safety personnel with whom they work on a daily basis.

Citizen Corps is the Department of Homeland Security's nationwide grass roots movement to actively involve everyone in America in making our community and our nation safer, stronger, and better prepared for emergencies. Citizen Corps provides local opportunities for everyone to participate in hometown security and community/family preparedness through public education and outreach, training opportunities, and volunteer programs to support local first responders. Through a nationwide network of 1,200 local Citizen Corps Councils, Citizen Corps brings together the homeland security expertise of emergency responders with the energy and spirit of volunteers, the private sector and other community stakeholders to engage the whole community.

In addition to the four charter Citizen Corps Programs, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Medical Reserve Corps, Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers in Police Service, and the Department's citizen preparedness Ready campaign, Citizen Corps has also partnered with 18 other affiliate programs to help coordinate a range of opportunities in which citizens can participate.

As a vital component of USA Freedom Corps, Citizen Corps encourages citizens of America to answer the President's "call to service" and take an active role in hometown security. To find out more about Citizen Corps and to find a local Council nearest you, please visit www.citizencorps.gov. To learn more about NASAR, visit www.nasar.org.