Partners

NJ State Citizen Corps Council

The Citizen Corps Program (www.citizencorps.gov) was originally established by President George Bush to give direction to the spirit of American volunteerism after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. This national effort is coordinated at the local level by Citizen Corps Councils that bring together leaders from the relevant sectors of the community. The purpose of the Council is to have all decision makers at the table to manage existing volunteer resources, to leverage mutually supportive endeavors among represented groups, and to direct the overall local plans to implement Citizen Corps in the community.

In 2003, the NJ State Citizen Corps Council was established to coordinate the activities of the Citizen Corps Program in our State. The NJ State Citizen Corps Council reflects the State’s leadership role in the Citizen Corps Program. New Jersey was the first state to establish councils in all of its 21 counties – having the highest number of councils at 139 and nearly 3000 people who are CERT-trained. The NJ State Citizen Corps Council is committed to making the Citizen Corps Program a success in New Jersey and answering the President’s call to service.

NJ Office of the Attorney General
(www.state.nj.us/lps/)

The Attorney General is involved in formulating the decisions impacting public safety and has authority over the Office of Counter-Terrorism and the State Police Office of Emergency Management. The Attorney General’s Office has also established procedures to ensure that in the event of a domestic security emergency the state will be able to obtain whatever judicial relief is needed.

NJ Office of Emergency Management
(www.state.nj.us/njoem/)

The NJ Office of Emergency Management (OEM) addresses all phases of an emergency – mitigation (risk reduction), preparedness, response, and recovery - and similar emergency management strategies that could apply whether the emergency was a flood, earthquake, drought, fire, chemical spill or a terrorist attack. Emergency management strategies may involve evacuation planning, sheltering, volunteer management, alert and warning, resource management, and providing for civil defense training programs. As part of the Citizen Corps Program, the OEM has coordinated the training and equipping of adult volunteers in Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) throughout the State. These teams are ready to be the first responders in times of disaster.

New Jersey Business Force
(www.njbusinessforce.org)

New Jersey Business Force (NJBF) and its parent organization Business Executives for National Security (BENS) are dedicated to the single issue of homeland security for the State of New Jersey. NJBF provides a model prototype for how the private and the public sectors can work together to enhance homeland security in New Jersey. The involvement of the business community will help improve the security of our businesses and the protection of their employees and operations while providing assistance to the State’s public emergency response personnel.

Governor’s Office of Volunteerism
(www.njvolunteerism.com)

The Governor's Office of Volunteerism was established to support the growth and development of volunteerism throughout the State through promotion, coordination and enhancement of citizen participation. Today, the mission of the Governor's Office of Volunteerism remains the same. Advocacy, recognition, communication, and technical assistance form the backbone of the newly re-energized Office.