Volunteerism, Disasters and Homeland Security: The AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and Community Preparedness
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David M. Simpson
Homeland security has become a national priority, with programs at the national, state, and local levels being pursued to increase the safety and security of U.S. communities. This article describes issues of volunteerism and mechanisms for involvement, using the case example of the AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program. Based on research carried out by Westat on the behalf of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the study suggested that avenues for harnessing volunteers effectively may exist, and that programs such as the AmeriCorps*NCCC are well positioned to leverage existing community efforts. Further, these programs can make significant contributions to homeland security activities in American communities. Most notably, AmeriCorps*NCCC appears to have the ability to help communities “jump-start” disaster preparedness efforts and begin to make them safer and better prepared for both natural and human-induced disasters. Further research, however, is needed to assess the longer term efficacy of these preparedness efforts.
©2011 Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin/Boston
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- Risks of Terrorism to Information Technology and to Critical Interdependent Infrastructures
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- Volunteerism, Disasters and Homeland Security: The AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and Community Preparedness
- Prudence or Panic? Preparedness Exercises, Counterterror Mobilization, and Media Coverage - Dark Winter, TOPOFF 1 and 2.
- Communication/News
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- Asia Stages a Dismal Response to Bird Flu Virus: An Emergency Management Diagnosis
- Mission Impossible? The Challenge of Implementing an Integrated Homeland Security Strategy
- Digital Dental Radiography
- Book Review
- Emergency Response and Emergency Management Law: Cases and Materials
- Preventing Earthquake Disasters - The Grand Challenge in Earthquake Engineering - A Research Agenda for the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES)
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Articles in the same Issue
- Research Article
- Thinking the Inevitable: Suicide Attacks in America and the Design of Effective Public Safety Policies
- Risks of Terrorism to Information Technology and to Critical Interdependent Infrastructures
- Why Do Public Health Practitioners Hesitate?
- Volunteerism, Disasters and Homeland Security: The AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) and Community Preparedness
- Prudence or Panic? Preparedness Exercises, Counterterror Mobilization, and Media Coverage - Dark Winter, TOPOFF 1 and 2.
- Communication/News
- Tips and Trends for Homeland Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection
- Asia Stages a Dismal Response to Bird Flu Virus: An Emergency Management Diagnosis
- Mission Impossible? The Challenge of Implementing an Integrated Homeland Security Strategy
- Digital Dental Radiography
- Book Review
- Emergency Response and Emergency Management Law: Cases and Materials
- Preventing Earthquake Disasters - The Grand Challenge in Earthquake Engineering - A Research Agenda for the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES)
- Terrorism and Disaster Management: Preparing Healthcare Leaders for the New Reality
- System Under Stress: Homeland Security and American Politics
