Citizen Corps
Citizen Corps is a community-based initiative to engage all citizens in homeland security and community and family preparedness through public education and outreach, training opportunities, and volunteer programs.  Programs under the Citizen Corps umbrella include federally sponsored programs and other activities that share the goal of helping communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to all-hazards.  Citizen Corps encourages all Americans to take an active role in building safer, stronger, and better-prepared communities.

In his January 29, 2002 State of the Union address, President Bush asked that Americans volunteer their services to improve and safeguard our country.  The Citizen Corps Program was developed to help Americans meet this call to service.

The Citizen Corps is one part of the Freedom Corps and is guided locally by the Citizen Corps Council made up of the Brookings County LEPC. 

The four areas overseen by Citizen Corps are Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers in Police Services, Community Emergency Response Teams, and Medical Reserve Corps. 

The local Citizen Corps Council supports those areas that exist in the areas of Neighborhood Watch and Volunteers in Police Service, and have authorized the formation of Community Emergency Response Teams.  Currently the need for a local Medical Reserve Corps is being evaluated.

Further information on Citizen Corps in Brookings County can be obtained by contacting Dave Swisher at Brookings County Emergency Management, 307 Third Ave., Brookings, SD  57006, 605-692-5212, or through e-mail at bcem@brookingscountysd.gov

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