Q: Do I have to be a resident of the City of Fresno to participate in the Fresno Citizen Corps?
A: Any interested citizen can participate. Neighboring cities may wish to set up their own Councils and the Fresno Citizen Corps will be pleased to provide support. For example, CERT training will be made available to any qualified citizen in the county. The Fresno 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: Will the Fresno Citizen Corps offer volunteer training?
A: Yes. During Phase One, we will be training volunteer managers on how to manage other volunteers. Early in Phase Two, we will be offering Certified Emergency Response Training. A number of the programs within the scope of the Council, such as Citizens on Patrol, have existing training programs. Many of our affiliated organizations, such as the Volunteer Center and the American Red Cross, offer training for volunteers.

Q: Does the City of Fresno have an Emergency Response Plan?
A: Yes. The plan has been developed by the Fresno Police Department 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 the Fresno Citizen Corps be responsible for emergency response?
A: No. That responsibility rests with the designated authorities, such as the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno Fire Department, the County Sheriff and the Office of Emergency Services. The Fresno 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 Fresno 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. Fresno 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: Does Fresno have a high risk of natural disasters?
A: Fresno is more fortunate than most communities, but not immune to natural disasters. We sit on bedrock and are not particularly susceptible to earthquakes. Hurricanes and tornadoes are not a normal occurrence. But we do have floods and fires, as well as train wrecks and multiple car pile-ups caused by fog. Volunteers may be of assistance when these events occur.

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.