Frequently Asked Questions
Q.How can I become involved?
A: Fill
out the general questionairre and a Citizen Corps Council
member will contact you to advise you of the next step.
Q: Do I have to be a
resident of the Lee County to participate in the Lee County
Citizen Corps?
A: Any interested resident
can participate. Neighboring cities may wish to set up their
own Councils and the Lee County Citizen Corps will be pleased
to provide support. The Lee County Council will also provide
advisory services to any neighboring community that wishes
to establish its own Citizen Corps Council.
Q: Do I have to have
special qualifications to participate?
A: Some of the volunteer
opportunities in public safety will require relevant skills
and experience, as well as background checks, but there are
many volunteer opportunities
that require no special skills. To find out how you can participate,
contact the Council and we'll try to find the right match
for your skills and interests.
Q: Are there immediate
opportunities available for volunteers?
A: Yes. Our principal near-term
needs are for people with supervisory or managerial experience
who can manage other volunteers, and for people with some
background in the public safety arena.
Q: Does Lee County have
an Emergency Response Plan?
A: Yes. The plan has been
developed by the Lee County Division of Public Safety in coordination
with numerous other agencies. Appropriate information on the
plan is being made available to all the organizations affiliated
with the Council.
Q: Will Lee County Citizen
Corps be responsible for emergency response?
A: No. That responsibility
rests with the designated authorities, such as the local Sheriff
and Police Departments, the local Fire Departments, and the
Office of Emergency Management. The Lee County Citizen Corps
is responsible for recruiting and developing a corps of volunteers
to support the efforts of these agencies and to help coordinate
volunteer response in
the event of an emergency.
Q: Are we starting a
Citizen Corps because Lee County has a high exposure to acts
of terrorism?
A: September 11 changed everything.
Every community in the country is now a potential target of
terrorism. Lee County may not have as high a risk profile
as New York or Washington D.C., but because we are the largest
city in the most fertile agricultural valley in the nation,
our exposure is higher than some other communities. In the
post September 11 era, vigilance offers the best road to prevention.
Q: If I volunteer
for disaster response, isn't it likely that I will have to
wait a long time between opportunities to render my services?
A: We hope so. The fewer
disasters the better. Our intention is to provide emergency
response training to people who are also volunteering to perform
ongoing services for our public safety organizations or for
the many existing volunteer
organizations in our community. That way they will not have
to wait a long time in between opportunities to provide services,
while remaining available to help if a disaster occurs.
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