Sumter County is working to raise awareness of the importance of emergency preparedness within the communities of Sumter County. As part of this effort, the Sumter County Emergency Management Agency has organized and revitalized Citizen Corps.

     The mission of Citizen Corps is to harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters of all kinds.

     The Citizen Corps mission is accomplished through a national network of state, and local Citizen Corps Councils, which bring together the expertise of leaders from the emergency responder disciplines with the energy and spirit of volunteers. These Councils build on community strengths to develop a local strategy to foster a greater connection between citizens and emergency responders, increase awareness and preparedness, and encourage citizen participation in hometown security. Citizen Corps Council activities include:

• Citizen Preparedness
• Training and Exercises
• Volunteer Service
• CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams)
• VIPS (Volunteers in Police Service)
• USA on Watch (Neighborhood Watch)
• Fire Corps (Volunteers in Fire Support)
• MRC (Medical Reserve Corps)
• ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services)
• Veterans Active in Emergency Preparedness
• Civil Air Patrol
• Chain Saw Crews
• POD (Points of Distribution)
• Security Volunteers

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer in Sumter County Citizen Corps, you can contact Mitch Grant, Sumter County Citizen Corps Coordinator at (229) 669-2220