Alexandria Citizen Corps Council
The Alexandria Citizen Corps Council (CCC) was established under the City Code in 2005 to advise and support the City Council of Alexandria to help Alexandria minimize the impact of disaster through prevention, preparation, and effective response measures.
Two primary components of this effort are preparedness and volunteerism. Individuals, businesses, and other organizations should take a number of steps to prepare for potential disasters (See "Preparedness" section of this webpage for additional information). Individuals interested in volunteering to assists in disaster preparedness and response have a number of programs available, including the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), the Neighborhood Watch Program, and the Alexandria Police Volunteer program.
By enhancing preparedness and volunteer capabilities, the CCC will help ensure that Alexandria is a community that unites to prevent and minimize the consequences of a disaster or threat to people's health, property, and safety.
Vision: Alexandria, Virginia will be a community that unites together to prevent or minimize the consequences of a disaster or threat to people's health, property, and safety.
Mission: To make Alexandria safe through citizen participation.
On January 26, 2021 the Alexandria City Council unanimously adopted the ResilientALX Charter, which provides a vision for enhancing the City's Strategic Plan goal of creating a safe and resilient community. It also establishes a comprehensive approach to understanding areas of risk and developing a sound strategy for preparation and mitigation.
Alexandria Citizen Corps Council Members & Participants
Council Members
Amy Jackson
Kirk McPike
Chair
Pat Moran
Vice Chair
Vacant
Members
Donna Reuss
Susan Reinertson
Nicholas Stablein
Crystal Steele (Secretary)
Elsy Melkonian
David Mendez
Vacancies (6)
City Staff Contact
Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Kevin Coleman, Alexandria Fire Department's Office of Emergency Management
Upcoming Meetings
Please visit the City's Calendar of Events to view upcoming meeting information. Generally, meetings are held on the fourth Monday of every other month (January, March, May, July, September, and November) from 7-9PM at Fire Station 204; some exceptions may apply to account for holidays or other events and the City Calendar should be consulted for the most accurate information. Public comment will be received at the meeting or can be emailed to marc.barbiere@alexandriava.gov, Emergency Management Coordinator.
Individuals with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to participate in the Citizen Corps Council meeting may contact Marc Barbiere at 703.746.5220. We request that you provide a 48-hour notice so that the proper arrangements may be made.
Meeting Agendas, Notes, and other Materials
Meeting Minutes
- January 2024 Approved Meeting Minutes
- March 2024 Approved Meeting Minutes
- May 2024 DRAFT Meeting Minutes
Meeting Agendas
CERT Reports
- January 2024 Bi-monthly CERT Report
- March 2024 Bi-monthly CERT Report
- May 2024 Bi-monthly CERT Report
- July 2024 Bi-monthly CERT Report
Discussion Materials
- Version 4 CCC Proposal(for discussion)
- Version 5 CCC Proposal(discussed at May 2024 Meeting)
- Version 6 CCC Proposal(for discussion at July 2024 Meeting)
Volunteering
Alexandria has established a number of programs for individuals interested in volunteering to assist in disaster preparedness and response. For volunteer opportunities related to emergency preparedness or response, visit the Alexandria Volunteer Bureau, Volunteer Alexandria, or any of the specialized sites below.
- The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) provides citizens with a mechanism to increase neighborhood disaster readiness and support first responders during emergencies and disasters. Training is provided in how to assess damage after a disaster, extinguish small fires, perform light search and rescue, triage and provide first aid, and provide much needed assistance in times of crises. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders by providing immediate assistance to victims and organizing spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also participate in non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community.
- The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a group of volunteers that includes individuals with medical training and experience as well as individuals from a wide range of non-medical backgrounds. MRC's local mission is to strengthen the health emergency preparedness and response of the people in Alexandria and to develop a Corps of medical and non-medical volunteers to respond as needed to such emergencies. MRC volunteer activities range from community preparedness to assisting in a variety of settings if a natural or terrorist-caused health emergency occurs.
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The Alexandria Neighborhood Watch Program, operated by the Alexandria Police Department, assists any group wishing to organize a Neighborhood Watch Program by attending the initial meetings and explaining how the program works. Pamphlets and handouts are provided explaining the program. When 70% of the area completes the requirements of having a security survey and marking property for identification (see Operation ID), Crime Watch signs are posted throughout the neighborhood.
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The Alexandria Police Volunteer program allows citizens who wish to donate their time and talents to the Police Department to assist with administrative and operations support duties, thus allowing officers to spend more time on law enforcement and crime prevention activities.
FAQs
What are Citizen Corps Councils?
Citizen Corps was started by FEMA in 2002 as part of President George W. Bush’s USA Freedom Corps initiative.
How did Alexandria start its Citizen Corps?
Alexandria Mayor and City Council in 2003 created the Alexandria Citizen Corps Council (CCC) and appointed community representatives to advise and assist their efforts to minimize the impact of disasters through prevention, preparation, and effective response measures.
What are Corps’ active programs?
The two current programs sponsored by Alexandria City and Virginia Department of Health and actively promoted by Citizens Corps Council are the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).
What is CERT?
CERT, or the Community Emergency Response Team, educates people about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations.
What is MRC?
MRC, or the Medical Reserve Corps, strengthens communities by helping medical, public health and other volunteers offer their expertise throughout the years well as during local emergencies and other times of community need. MRC volunteers work in coordination with existing local emergency response programs and also supplement existing community public health initiatives, such as outreach and prevention, immunization programs, blood drives, case management, care planning, and other efforts.
