September 8, 2010

DENTON, TEXAS - The state of Arkansas, three Texas communities, one Louisiana parish, and a city in New Mexico made it to the finals of the 2010 National Citizen Corps Achievement Awards, with Texas and Louisiana emerging with one winner each taking a top honor.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Citizen Corps named the Cedar Park Citizen Corps Council, in Cedar Park, Texas as the winner of the Preparing Community Organizations Award, while Louisiana's East Baton Rouge Parish Citizen Corps Council was named the winner of the Preparing the Public Award. 

Meanwhile, Arkansas was among four finalists in the Outstanding State Citizen Corps Initiative Award, while the Albuquerque Citizen Corps Council joined winner East Baton Rouge Parish in the Preparing the Public Award Category as a finalist. Also in the finals was Texas' Harris County Citizen Corps Council for the Outstanding Citizen Corps Council Award - population over 750,000 and the Alamo Regional Citizen Corps Council for the Volunteer Integration Award.

"We applaud all of our regional Citizen Corps Councils for the wonderful work that they do," said FEMA Region 6 Administrator Tony Russell. "We especially acknowledge Cedar Park and East Baton Rouge for winning in their category, and Arkansas, Harris County, Alamo Regional, and Albuquerque for making it to the finals. You are all deserving of recognition."

Awardees were selected by a panel of emergency management leaders representing all levels of government, including FEMA, National Emergency Managers Association and the International Association of Emergency Managers.  FEMA Region 6 includes the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Citizen Corps is FEMA's grassroots strategy to bring together government and community leaders to involve citizens in all-hazards emergency preparedness and resilience. For more information about Citizen Corps, visit www.citizencorps.gov.