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<br />• <br />2002 Citizen Corps & Community <br />Emergency Response Team (CERT) <br />~~~~~ Grant Program <br />PROGRAM OVERVIEW <br />Local units of government in Minnesota have a <br />unique opportunity to obtain grants to assist them <br />with the establishment of "Citizen Corps," units, <br />consisting of trained volunteers that are capable <br />of assisting local law enforcement, emergency <br />management, and medical officials with <br />emergency and non-emergency public health and <br />safety projects. The five programs that make up <br />the Citizen Corps program include: <br />Medical Reserve Corps -Inactive and <br />retired doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other <br />medical professionals willing to assist their <br />community, providing health-related expertise <br />during times of emergency and for community <br />health projects at other times. A dedicated <br />web site for the Medical Reserve Corps is in <br />the development stage. Watch for new <br />information on the program soon. <br />2. Neighborhood Watch Program - An already <br />existing program where community members <br />band together to form groups to reduce crime <br />in their neighborhoods by encouraging <br />businesses, the faith community, schools and <br />citizens to cooperate with and assist local law <br />enforcement officials by reporting suspicious <br />activity. For more information, visit the <br />Neighborhood Watch website at <br />www.usaonwatch.ora <br />3. Volunteers in Police Service (NIPS) <br />Program - A corps of trained civilian <br />volunteers that assists local law enforcement <br />agencies by doing duties that do not require <br />the attention of a sworn or armed officer. <br />More information about NIPS can be found on <br />their website: www.policevolunteers.org. <br />4. Community Emergency Response Team <br />(CERT) - A program that educates citizens <br />about hazards they face in their community, <br />providing training in basic lifesaving skills. If <br />DPS/DEM November 2002 <br />MINNESOTA <br />Publb Safety <br />~~ <br />needed following a disaster, these citizen- <br />responders use their training as part of a <br />neighborhood or workplace team to assist <br />when professional responders are <br />overwhelmed or not immediately available. <br />CERT information including a CERT Instructor <br />Guide and Student Guide is located on the <br />web at: <br />http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/cert <br />5. Terrorist Information and Prevention <br />System (Operation TIPS) -Provides a <br />hotline and referral system for workers in the <br />trucking, shipping, maritime and mass transit <br />industries to report suspicious, and potentially <br />terrorism-related activities occurring in public <br />areas to local, state and federal law <br />enforcement authorities. Operation TIPS is <br />still in the development phase; watch for new <br />information on the program soon. <br />6. Information about all five of the Citizen Corps <br />programs can also be found at the Citizen <br />Corps web site, www.citizencorps.gov. <br />AVAILABLE FUNDS <br />This year (2002) FEMA has allocated $374,265 to <br />Minnesota to begin building Citizen Corps groups <br />across the state. Of this $302,796 has been <br />"earmarked" for activities that build the CERT <br />program, and $71,289 for the formation of State <br />and Local Citizen Corps. Seventy-five percent of <br />these amounts will be passed through to <br />communities to initiate or enhance their local <br />Citizen Corps and CERT programs. The <br />Department of Public Safety, Division of <br />Emergency Management (DEM) is the designated <br />administrator for these programs. <br />ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATIONS <br />"Local governments," as defined in 42 U.S.C., <br />subsection 5122(6) of the Robert T. Stafford <br />Disaster Act, means any county, city, village, <br />town, district or other political subdivision of any <br />Page 1 <br />~5 <br />