Home Makeover: Winter Edition

Just as you would add winter care items to your emergency kit to prepare for the upcoming season, your home can also use a winter makeover . Properly preparing your home for cold temperatures can keep you safe and warm, and lower your energy costs. Here are a few tips to follow as the mercury plunges:

• Run ceiling fans in reverse to help circulate warm air that gathers near the ceiling;
• Replace your furnace filter every two months;
• Make sure gutters and downspouts are clean and that water drains at least six feet from your home's foundation;
• Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them . House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate sources to heat their home; and
• Hire a contractor to check the structural ability of your roof to sustain unusually heavy weight from the accumulation of snow or ice.

Get in the energy saving spirit by conducting a home energy assessment . See how much energy your home consumes and evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. Then, check out “ 12 Days of Energy Savings ” from the U.S. Department of Energy to learn how to stay warm while saving money this winter.

After you prepare your home for winter weather, visit America's PrepareAthon! for ways to prepare your family!

New Disaster Assistance Resource

We are excited to share a new resource that can help survivors navigate the disaster recovery process. DisasterAssistance.gov is a website that is maintained by FEMA's Disaster Assistance Improvement Program (DAIP). DAIP helps survivors by shortening the time required to apply for assistance and reducing the number of forms that need to be completed. Survivors can also upload documents and check the status of their application, all through the website.

DAIP is an e-Government initiative, managed by FEMA with the support of 16 other federal agencies to help simplify the disaster assistance process. DisasterAssistance.gov also provides news, information and resources to help individuals, families and businesses prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. On DisasterAssistance.gov, survivors can:

• Find more than 70  forms of assistance  from 17 federal agencies;
• Get the latest information on declared disaster such as wildfires, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes;
• Find information about evacuating; accessing shelter, food, water and medical services; and assistance locating loved ones and pets;
• Locate local resources in and around the whole community; and
• Share resources via social media.

Visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov today and check out the information available. Spread the word to your loved ones, and be prepared to know where to find assistance before a disaster happens!

Open Slots for CERT Training

There are open seats for two Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) trainings this January and February at the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) in Emmitsburg, MD. Take advantage by enrolling in one of these trainings today!

Are you looking to establish and sustain an active local CERT Program? On January 21-22 , 2015 you can enroll in the EO427 CERT Program Manager training. This course is intended for current CERT Program Managers or professionals and volunteers who are interested in being a local CERT Program Manager. You will learn the core components of a local CERT program and effective practices for:

• Developing local CERT program goals and a related strategic plan;
• Promoting local CERT programs;
• Orienting, managing and retaining CERT members;
• Recruiting, funding, managing and retaining CERT trainers; and more.

Interested in both the E0427, CERT Program Manager course and the E0428 CERT Train-the-Trainer course? Well, you are in luck, they are offered back-to-back on February 23-27, 2015 . Students who wish to take both courses back-to-back must submit a separate application for each course. Specific items taught in the CERT Train-the-Trainer course are:

• Deliver the CERT Basic Training;
• Convey the messages and intent of the CERT Program; and
• Create a comfortable yet managed learning environment.

These trainings are a great way to learn, not just from the seasoned instructors who teach the class, but also from the participants who hail from CERT programs around the country. Apply now by visiting http://training.fema.gov/apply/ and get more information about attending the EMI in Emmitsburg, MD.

Last Call: Citizen Corps and CERT Information Deadline

The deadline for Citizen Corps Councils and CERT Programs to update their information is this week! We ask that all local programs log in to the registration system and make their updates by 11:59 PM ET on Friday, December 12 . Citizen Corps and CERT data collected by this deadline will be included in the 2015 National Preparedness Report.

Updating your online profiles provides us with information that we can use to justify continued Federal support for the Citizen Corps and CERT programs, including:

• The website and all of its free downloadable resources and an online searchable directory of programs;
• Free printed materials for registered programs through the FEMA Warehouse;
• Technical assistance and support through the Citizen Corps and CERT inboxes;
• Recognition programs like the Individual and Community Preparedness Awards;
• Outreach and education efforts, including regular e-briefs and webinars; and
• The development of new content and updates to existing content, including the CERT curriculum and supporting materials.

While we encourage you to update any new information in your online profiles, we are particularly interested in updates to the following for 2014 (Please note that not all of these are applicable for both CERT and Citizen Corps):

• Numbers of individuals trained;
• Number of trainings conducted;
• Number of volunteers and volunteer hours;
• Council membership;
• Number of exercises; and
• Funding sources.

We hope that you will take the time to update your profiles, so that all of the great work you have done will be accounted for in the National Preparedness Report and elsewhere! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at citizencorps@fema.dhs.gov or at cert@fema.dhs.gov . Thank you!

Dates for Your Calendar!