Benefits to the Community
Major disasters in a community can overload the capability of first responders, especially during the first
12 to 72 hours of the response. Having citizens who are better prepared to take care of themselves and
others during times of crisis will allow first responders to focus their efforts on the most critical, life threatening situations.
In addition, there are many tasks that a well-trained and organized group of volunteers could perform on an
ongoing basis that would free up sworn officers, licensed health professionals, and professional firefighters
so that they could focus more on immediate emergency response needs and less on the routine or administrative
aspects of their responsibilities. Successful models of such activity exist throughout the country and
are primed to be taken nationwide.
Citizen Corps will help citizens take a more active role in crime prevention, risk reduction, and emergency preparedness.
It will bring together all sectors of the community involved in first responder issues and will
enable them to establish ongoing working relationships and to work together in times of crisis. As a
component of President Bush's call to service, Citizen Corps will also help build a community's sense of
pride and cohesion.
