American Legion National Preparedness Month
The American Legion supports National Preparedness Month, which is observed every September to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for emergencies and disasters. The American Legion has a Disaster Preparedness Guide and a National Emergency Fund Preparation Guide to help posts prepare for disasters. The Legion also encourages posts to plan major disaster preparedness events during National Preparedness Month, such as hosting events with fire, police, and emergency management.
Plan a major disaster preparedness post event for September in support of National Disaster Preparedness Month. Consider bringing fire, police, and emergency management exhibits to your post with guest speakers, games, food, and public recognition of local citizens active in Citizen Corps volunteerism.
The American Legion Disaster Preparedness and Response guide
The common bond we all share as Legionnaires is honorable service as members of the armed forces of the United States.
The military took the time and money to train us as warriors first, then specialists in whatever field we served in the military.
We learned the value of teamwork, discipline and readiness. We helped our buddies overcome obstacles and worked hard to forge our respective units, companies, ships, squadrons, etc. to be the best we could become.
We learned how to survive. We acquired skills in first aid, field survival, and self-defense. We went where we were ordered, served proudly, and came home.
Today, as Legionnaires, we are still serving America, reaching out to our fellow veterans and their families, conducting the programs of our organization for the betterment of our communities.
But since the attacks of September 11, 2001, our world has changed. Once again, Legionnaires are being called upon to do what we do so well – apply our skills, commitment, patriotism and passion for God and country to help our communities become prepared to meet any contingency, natural or man-made.
As military veterans we understand the value of readiness. American Legion posts offer islands of expertise, motivation and resources across the country. This guide is designed to provide your post with the information needed to become fully involved in your community’s disaster preparedness and response plans.
The American Legion was founded on the four pillars of strong national security, veterans’ affairs and rehabilitation, fostering Americanism and mentoring children and youth. By actively engaging your post in the community with a disaster preparedness program, your post will be fulfilling needs in all four areas.
As partners with the Department of Homeland Security, Legionnaires can step to the forefront in their communities as advocates of national security and preparedness. Similar to the civil defense program that many communities participated in during the Cold War, disaster preparedness for both natural and man-made disasters is crucial for every town. There are many opportunities for every post’s participation. This guide will provide a wide-ranging list of possible post involvement from simple awareness to a complete outreach program involving every member of The American Legion family.
Posts can provide vital backup and assistance to local Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and become involved in their Emergency Operations Plans as well.
By developing public outreach programs, your post can enable local youth to be trained and engaged in the kinds of skills that would be needed in an emergency.
Disaster kit promotions and post activities with emergency personnel as guest speakers would bring the media and the public to your post. Special post disaster readiness drills and events could be tied in with Americanism events such as Independence Day celebrations.
Post disaster preparedness and response with successful outreach to the community, will greatly enhance your post’s visibility and commitment to service in the area. By reaching out to the public, the media, youth and other community groups, you will be signaling to everyone – including veterans and potential members of your post, Auxiliary Unit or Sons of The American Legion Squadron – your commitment to making a difference for the better in your town.
The first step is to commit to the concept that your post can make a difference in helping your community prepare for any natural disasters or man-made disaster events that might occur. As a nation at war, no community can rule out a terrorist attack that could be nuclear, biological or chemical. No city is immune, from the largest metropolis to the smallest rural towns. The only thing certain about a potential attack is that it is possible.
Appoint a Post Disaster Preparedness and Response (DPR) Chairman/Officer to coordinate your post effort and assemble a team of post volunteers to serve on the post DPR team. Research your post’s capabilities and the needs of the community. Brief the Post Executive Committee and obtain commitment to the project. Once a decision to proceed is made, contact the city or country Emergency Management Agency (EMA) or Citizen Corps Council to get the ball rolling. If there is no EMA, consider establishing a local Citizen Corps Council in your town; consider contacting your local officials to establish a local Citizen Corps Council in your community. You can also contact your state Citizen Corps representative who can help guide you through the process.
If your town has an EMA or Citizen Corps Council, set up an appointment to talk with them. Chances are they have already conducted a thorough potential hazard analysis to identify the types of disasters that would likely occur in your area and have an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) already in place. Natural disasters could include hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, ice storms, volcanic eruptions, floods, droughts, mudslides, wildfires, etc. Manmade events could include hazardous chemical spills, train wrecks, nuclear plant accidents, and explosions. Possible terrorist scenarios might include detonation of a “dirty” nuclear device, disease epidemics, water and food supply contamination, and chemical dispersions of such hazards as mustard gas. Each has the ability to cover large areas and cause massive casualties. Immediately following such events, professional first responders will be overloaded; it might take days for help to arrive. Being prepared, trained, and ready to survive – and help others survive – is what The American Legion Post can advocate BEFORE any such event might occur as well as know what to do if a catastrophic event actually happened. The American Legion 8
Ways Your Post Can Get Involved
Manpower – Citizen Corps– Local and/or state Citizen Corps Council representation
- a) Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
- b) Fire Corps
- c) Medical Reserve Corps
- d) Volunteers in Police Service
- e) Neighborhood Watch
- Trained veterans with leadership experience– Volunteer opportunities with Red Cross, Salvation Army, EMA office, Citizen Corps Council, etc.
- School presentations
- Disaster Supply Kit program and promotion for every home
- Adult and youth training programs at the post
- Town Hall meetings on disaster preparedness
- Programs linking preparedness to citizenship on Flag Day, Independence Day
- Post events during September Disaster Preparedness Month
- Participation in local disaster preparedness exercises
Infrastructure (if you have a post home)– Post home as a designated shelter– Food service during disasters– Emergency inoculation facility– Training facility for adults/youth in disaster preparedness courses
- a) First Aid/CPR
- b) CERT training
- c) EMA first responder courses
- d) Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) communications/meeting/ training center
- e) Emergency supplies center
- f) Child care for first responders (during emergencies)
- g) Backup support for Emergency Operations Center
- h) SKYWARN (severe weather spotters for the National Weather Service)
- i) Mobility Teams (4-wheel drive vehicles) to move medical and emergency personnel during/after severe weather events
The above are just some of the contributions that an American Legion post can make to a community disaster preparedness and response program. There are countless other potential activities and each will be based on the specific needs of your community. For example, following Hurricane Katrina, one American Legion post served as an emergency kidney dialysis center, providing hot food and treatment for area patients in critical need after the storm knocked out power and services at local treatment centers.
- Benefits to Post
- High visibility in community
- Media coverage
- Introduction to new potential members for Legion family
- Increased access to schools with new program
- Training opportunities for members
- Guest speakers for post meetings on emergency planning and preparedness
- Close relationship with local government
- Satisfaction of contributing to community preparedness
While The American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary are formal partners with the national Citizen Corps in the Department of Homeland Security by a signed Statement of Affiliation (SOA), posts, units, and squadrons of the Sons of The American Legion should work together in training, outreach to the community and participation in the full range of disaster preparedness activities. Specific areas of readiness might be assigned to each to share in the full spectrum of outreach activities. There are even specific activities that a local chapter of Legion Riders can engage in as well as serve as a response asset for EMA planning.
