1. 5/26/16, 11:47 AMNew York National Guard launches citizens' emergency training program | Article | The United States Army
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New York National Guard launches
citizens' emergency training program
February 6, 2014
By Sgt. 1st Class Raymond Drumsta
Homepage > News Archives > Article
NEW YORK (Feb. 6, 2014) -- New York National Guard
Soldiers and Airmen are on the front lines New York's
program to help citizens prepare for emergencies.
Guard members trained more than 1,200 people Feb. 1,
as Gov. Andrew Cuomo's initiative to provide basic
disaster response training to 100,000 New Yorkers kicked
off at New Dorp High School in the borough of Staten
Island, and at Farmingdale State College.
A 17-member team of Guard Soldiers and Airmen on
state active duty status will deploy across New York to
train participants in the Citizens Preparedness Corps
Training Program.
Other Guard Soldiers and Airmen will be called upon to help set up and organize other
training events across New York, with events already scheduled for Utica and in
Rockland County, Saturday.
The program aims to give citizens the knowledge and tools to prepare for emergencies
and disasters, respond accordingly, and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster
conditions.
Participants in the two-hour volunteer training sessions also received a backpack full of
emergency supplies.
The disaster and emergency response starter kits, also known as a "go-kit," handed out
at the events included a first-aid kit, face mask, pocket radio with batteries, food bars,

2. 5/26/16, 11:47 AMNew York National Guard launches citizens' emergency training program | Article | The United States Army
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emergency blanket and other key items to help citizens in the immediate aftermath of a
disaster.
While the National Guard and other first responders play a critical role in New York's
response to disasters, the real first responder is every citizen, the governor told
participants in the two training sessions.
"The greatest asset is you," Cuomo said. "That is the greatest asset. You are there first.
By definition, you are the first responder in your own home. And you are the first
responder on your own block, and you can be the first responder for your own neighbor."
The program, designed by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and
Emergency Services Office of Fire Prevention and Control covers a broad range of
emergency preparedness topics, like developing a family emergency plan, stocking up
on emergency supplies, and registering for NY-Alert, the free statewide emergency alert
system.
People listened closely to the training, and occasionally applauded. Though the program
included a short break, the Farmingdale audience encouraged trainer Capt. Rafael
Castillo to continue the class without a break, according to trainer Master Sgt. Pete
Towse.
It's a great mission and the trainers enjoy the job, Towse said.
Though he felt that the presentation was a bit long, it still had good information and
preparedness points, said Staten Island resident Abe Aruch. The information should be
taught in schools, he added.
"We take that stuff for granted on a daily basis," he said. "The go-kit is a good starting
point for emergency preparedness. You build off of that."
While speaking at each training session, Cuomo announced the launch of a new website,
www.prepare.ny.gov, which serves as the digital home for the Citizen Preparedness
Corps community. The website offers information about additional training, disaster
preparedness tips, and ways to volunteer in the event of a disaster.
Ensuring that residents are prepared for emergencies is more important than ever, the
governor said.
While there were only a handful of federally declared disasters during his father Mario
Cuomo's 12 years as governor, from 1982 to 1994, there have been nine in his three
years as governor, Cuomo told the Staten Island audience.
In addition to Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 -- an event of historic consequence --
there have been other unprecedented situations, like earthquakes and flooding, in
upstate New York, he stressed.
"This is a much different reality that we're dealing with," he said. "Whatever is
happening is generating an extreme weather pattern like we've never seen before. That
is a fact. The extreme weather is a fact."
New York is giving citizens training and equipment to go with their willingness and desire
to be of service, Cuomo said.
"Just showing up for the training says that you are stepping up to be the first to prepare
yourself, to prepare your family, and prepare the community for what could happen
next," Maj. Gen. Patrick Murphy, the adjutant general of New York, told the Staten
Island audience.
Their presence at the event signified their commitment to personal, family and
community preparedness, he added.
The go-kits are the starting point for self-emergency preparedness, as is the training,
Murphy said. They hope citizens continue to work toward better emergency
preparedness, he stressed.
The Staten Island event also attracted professionals involved with disaster relief.
Patricia Benjamin, a project coordinator for Project Hope, was pleased with the event.
The Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services runs Project Hope, which helped
Hurricane Sandy victims, Benjamin said.
"I was very pleased to hear the information we got," she said. She was especially glad
that Cuomo acknowledged Staten Island citizens, who mobilized on their own ahead of

3. 5/26/16, 11:47 AMNew York National Guard launches citizens' emergency training program | Article | The United States Army
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first responders, to help their neighbors in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
She was also liked the training program and website, which she described as a clearly
designed structure of response.
"There's actually something in place for the citizens now," she said. "We have no control
over how a disaster will affect us. But we can control our response."
Natural disasters can damage home-utility structures, like natural gas pipes.
The training program shows people how to turn off home-energy systems, but warns
them not to attempt to turn them on again until they've been inspected and approved by
professionals.
That was one of the most important parts of the program, Benjamin said.
"A lot of people may not know that minor detail, which is actually a major detail that
could avert disaster," she stressed.
People and first responders suffer from trauma and emotional exhaustion during
disasters, so she was also glad that the training stressed the need to mitigate those
psychological effects, Benjamin said.
Susan Miserandino, a senior planning analyst for the utility Con Edison who deals with
storm issues, said the training delivered at the Saturday session was very relevant.
The training program will help citizens to be better prepared, she said.
"If not for themselves, for their family members," Miserandino added.
Miserandino is already using the go-kit as a starting point for her own emergency
preparedness. In the days following the event, she added rope, garbage bags and latex
gloves to the kit, she said.
Though the kit included work gloves, latex gloves allow for more manual dexterity, she
explained.
Big weather events are a new thing for New York, and citizens didn't think much about
preparing for emergencies before Hurricane Sandy hit, she said.
"We never experienced anything like [Hurricane] Sandy before," Miserandino said. "It's
the old adage ... 'nobody thinks it's going to happen to us until it does.'"
Page last updated Thu February 6th, 2014 at 12:58
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