Corps Respond Program Opens in Eugene
This winter, ten extraordinary people are coming together in Eugene to make the world a safer place. As members of the new Corps Respond Program, it will be their mission to provide local disaster preparedness training and national disaster aid to communities in need. Whether teaching local Oregon families how to be safe during natural disaster or supporting hurricane relief workers in New Orleans, Corps Responders will be on the front lines of disaster mitigation.
Corps Respond is a joint program supported by AmeriCorps members and hosted by Northwest Youth Corps. The ten month program consists of extensive training in outdoor conservation, natural sciences, wilderness survival, wilderness first responder, disaster preparedness, disaster relief and community engagement. After training, the Corps Respond Team will engage in conservation and community education projects across Oregon, Idaho and Washington. In the event of a natural disaster (local or national), Corps Respond services will be made available to aid providers in the area.
Team Leader Katie Muilenburg predicts that Corps Respond Team will be popular, but hopes that its disaster response abilities never have to be used. "Things like forest fires, storms, earthquakes and tsunamis are not only deadly, but also pose a great risk to our economy and ecosystems," she said. "In the event of such a disaster, we will be able to provide key assistance to ensure first-responder resources are not overwhelmed. We can go places and provide aid in remote rural areas that other resources would be hard-pressed to support."
For more information about joining Corps Respond or scheduling a training visit, contact Northwest Youth Corps at: (541) 349-5055.
