Disaster Reporter for CERT

From the ARRL E-Letter for June 18, 2014 Disaster Reporter

 

A message from FEMA: A picture is worth a thousand words. As we kick off the 2014 Hurricane Season, help us highlight the CERT [Community Emergency Response Team] program and demonstrate your capacity as citizens and trained volunteers to provide accurate, on-the-ground situational awareness and augment the capabilities of professional responders during disasters.

As a CERT volunteer, you play an integral role in disaster reporting in your community. Administrator Fugate is calling upon CERT volunteers throughout the country, including you, to download the FEMA mobile app, which includes Disaster Reporter. Why should you use Disaster Reporter? Here are our top four reasons.

1. It provides FEMA responders, local emergency managers, CERT volunteers, and the public with greater visibility into disaster situations across the United States. This can help expedite emergency response efforts.

2. It provides a reliable source for viewing disaster events around the country.

3. It's a great free resource to download straight to your mobile phone.

4. Your support efforts in an impacted area will be displayed publicly on an online map.

Learn more about Disaster Reporter at http://www.fema.gov/disaster-reporter and http://www.fema.gov/disaster-reporter-terms-conditions. To download the FEMA app, please visit http://www.fema.gov/smartphone-app.

In addition to the Disaster Reporter tool, the FEMA App also has preparedness tips, an interactive emergency kit checklist, recovery safety tips, open Red Cross Shelters, open FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers, and FEMA blog posts. The app is available for Android, Apple, and Blackberry. Don't forget to check the latest CERT newsletter for other great resources and stories. The latest edition is available at http://www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-team-national-newsletter.