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CERTVirginia Citizen Corps CouncilsFirecorpsMedical Reserve CorpsNeighborhood WatchVolunteers in Police ServiceNewsPublic Safety VolunteersResources for Volunteers

For Current Volunteers
Tips, links, resources and more

How Can You Help?

Simply go to a program page below to search for the volunteer opportunities that interest you most.

Links

Virginia Citizen Corps, part of the national Citizen Corps program, gets Virginia citizens directly involved in homeland security and emergency preparedness. The program allows you to help your community by volunteering some of your time, energy and skills to emergency preparedness and response activities.

Find out more: Download the Citizen Corps Fact Sheet [739kb PDF]

 

 

Recent News


Upcoming Events

Virginia Citizen Corps Programs and Partners Calendar

Date CC Affiliates Activity/Training Location Time Contact Info
January 27, 2010 Fairfax County CERT CERT Training - Class 3: Disaster Medical Operations 1 Kings Park Elementary School
5400 Harrow Way
Springfield, VA 22151
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Jeffrey Katz
Volunteer Liaison
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
(703) 246-3926
http://www.fairfaxcountycert.org
           
January 28, 2010 Fairfax County Citizen Corps Council Citizen Corps Council Meeting 4890 Alliance Drive
Fairfax, VA
Conference Rooms 2104 & 2105
6:45 p.m. Marcelo Ferreira
Emergency Response Program Coordinator
Volunteer Fairfax
http://www.volunteerfairfax.org
           
Feb. 2, 2010 Chesterfield CERT Program
PDF
Community Emergency Response Team Course Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
February 3, 2010 Fairfax County CERT CERT Training - Class 4: Disaster Medical Operations 2 Kings Glen Elementary School
5701 Danbury Forest Dr.
Springfield, VA 22151
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Jeffrey Katz
Volunteer Liaison
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
(703) 246-3926
http://www.fairfaxcountycert.org
           
February 10, 2010 Fairfax County CERT CERT Training - Class 5: Light Search and Rescue Operations Kings Glen Elementary School
5701 Danbury Forest Dr.
Springfield, VA 22151
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Jeffrey Katz
Volunteer Liaison
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
http://www.fairfaxcountycert.org
           
February 10, 2010 Chesterfield County CERT Neighbors Helping Neighbors Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, VA
7p.m.-8:30p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.com
           
February 10, 2010 Continuing Education Classes CF & EMS Overview Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
February 17, 2010 Fairfax County CERT CERT Training - Class 6: Disaster Psychology, Terrorism, Course Review Kings Park Elementary School
5400 Harrow Way
Springfield, VA 22151
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Jeffrey Katz
Volunteer Liaison
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
(703) 246-3926
http://www.fairfaxcountycert.org
           
February 20, 2010 Fairfax County CERT CERT Training - Class 7: Fire Suppression Kings Glen Elementary School
5701 Danbury Forest Dr.
Springfield, VA 22151
4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Jeffrey Katz
Volunteer Liaison
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue
(703) 246-3926
http://www.fairfaxcountycert.org
           
March 9, 2010 Continuing Education Classes CERT Psychology Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
March 25, 2010 Fairfax County Citizen Corps Council Citizen Corps Council Meeting 4890 Alliance Drive
Fairfax, VA
Conference Rooms 2104 & 2105
6:45 p.m. Marcelo Ferreira
Emergency Response Program Coordinator
Volunteer Fairfax
http://www.volunteerfairfax.org
           
April 13, 2010 Continuing Education Classes Disaster Preparedness Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
May 4, 2010 Basic CERT Classes Chesterfield CERT Classes
Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
6:30 - 10p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
May 12, 2010 Continuing Education Classes Medical Ops Review (Basic refresher course) Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
May 12-14, 2010
May 17-19, 2010
  Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER) Virginia Cooperative Extension, MARE Center, 5527 Sullivan's Mill Road, Middleburg, VA 20117   Dr. Shea Porr cporr@vt.edu 540-687-3521 Ext. 27
for further details and reservations www.virginiasart.org
           
May 27, 2010 Fairfax County Citizen Corps Council Citizen Corps Council Meeting 4890 Alliance Drive
Fairfax, VA
Conference Rooms 2104 & 2105
6:45 p.m. Marcelo Ferreira
Emergency Response Program Coordinator
Volunteer Fairfax
http://www.volunteerfairfax.org
           
June 8, 2010 Continuing Education Classes Fire Codes and Fire Prevention Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
July 29, 2010 Fairfax County Citizen Corps Council Citizen Corps Council Meeting 4890 Alliance Drive
Fairfax, VA
Conference Rooms 2104 & 2105
6:45 p.m. Marcelo Ferreira
Emergency Response Program Coordinator
Volunteer Fairfax
http://www.volunteerfairfax.org
           
Aug. 10 , 2010 Continuing Education Classes CERT and Forensics Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
Sept. 7, 2010 Chesterfield County CERT Basic CERT Classes Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
6:30p.m. to 10p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
Sept. 15 , 2010 Continuing Education Classes Emeregency Communications (Basic refresher course) Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
Sept. 30, 2010 Fairfax County Citizen Corps Council Citizen Corps Council Meeting 4890 Alliance Drive
Fairfax, VA
Conference Rooms 2104 & 2105
6:45 p.m.

Marcelo Ferreira
Emergency Response Program Coordinator
Volunteer Fairfax
http://www.volunteerfairfax.org

           
Oct. 12 , 2010 Continuing Education Classes Air Medical Opertions Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
Nov. 2, 2010 Chesterfield County CERT Basic CERT Classes Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
6:30p.m. to 10p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net
           
Nov 10 , 2010 Continuing Education Classes Basic Search & Rescue (Basic refresher course) Eanes-Pittman Public Safety Training Center
6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield, 23832
7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. CERT Program Coordinator Jon Donnelly
(804)320-2165
CERTChesterfield@verizon.net

Virginia Citizen Corps “SuperStar Awards” 2009

Virginia Citizen Corps is accepting entries for the 2009 Superstar Awards, an opportunity to recognize exceptional volunteers and programs. Eight winners will be selected in the following categories: Outreach Activity, Teen CERT, Local Citizen Corps Council, Business, Campus or Community Training, Volunteer Superstar, Volunteer Instructor or Instruction Team, Volunteer Recognition Event or Program, and Virginia Citizen Corps Program. Entries are due Jan. 15, 2010. Contact Citizen Corps Program Manager Linda Rubin at (804) 897-6500, ext. 6594 or linda.rubin@vdem.virginia.gov for more information or download application form here. [2MB Doc]

Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards

Download the nomination packet [opens in a new browser]


 

Virginia Citizen Corps Programs

Citizen Corps' programs create well-trained, readily available pools of local people who know their community well, and who can help during the first critical hours of a major disaster.

The Virginia Citizen Corps Programs include:

Virginia Citizen Corps History

In 2001 Governor Mark Warner created Virginia Corps to capture the renewed spirit of volunteer service and community preparedness that has emerged since Sept. 11, 2001. It serves as a central clearinghouse for volunteer opportunities across Virginia.

Virginia Corps also localizes Citizen Corps -- the national homeland security and preparedness initiative. Virginia’s Citizen Corps helps residents make their communities safer from emergencies and disasters by getting them involved in these preparedness efforts.

Fifty local Citizen Corps Councils now coordinate outreach and programs, reaching approximately 75 percent of Virginia’s population.

CERTs – Community Emergency Response Teams – are taking off. There are now 50 teams around the state, with more than 2,000 trained Virginia volunteers. Two state agencies and six universities have implemented CERT training, and Nextel and PBS are conducting training for their employees. CERTs provided widespread and significant support during and after Hurricane Isabel; during spring flooding in Tazewell County; after a tornado swept through Danville; and during a TB public health incident in Chesapeake.

Neighborhood Watch and Volunteers in Police Service programs now include 4,794 groups across Virginia, averaging 66 households each. These groups have started forming partnerships with local CERT programs to increase enrollment.

The Virginia Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) program has grown tremendously since its start in 2003 with 12 MRC units. Today, there are 30 MRC units and over 10,000 community members actively volunteering to "Protecting the Health of Virginia". Local volunteers have supported communicable disease outbreak investigations, emergency shelters, free medical screenings, rabies vaccination and flu shot clinics, first aid stations at community events, emergency preparedness outreach and much more.