Recognizing the Temecula Citizen Corps Program for its Service to the Citizens of the City of Temecula

RECOGNIZING THE TEMECULA CITIZEN CORPS PROGRAM FOR ITS SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF TEMECULA -- (Extensions of Remarks - January 21, 2004)

SPEECH OF
HON. DARRELL E. ISSA
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2004

Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and praise the people of the City of Temecula, who are doing their duty, as citizens, public servants, and elected officials, to make our homes and communities more secure. They have accomplished this through the Temecula Citizen Corps-an innovative new program that was inspired by President George Bush's 2002 State of the Union address. Two years ago, President Bush asked communities to take greater responsibility for their own emergency preparedness. The City of Temecula took this charge to heart and began building what has become a model program for local level homeland security concerns.

The Temecula Citizen Corps program coordinates the efforts of private citizens, neighborhood leaders, public safety agencies, and city officials, to enhance emergency and disaster preparedness. It has trained representatives from each neighborhood in the city on emergency notification methods, damage assessment, and special needs of community residents. It has also trained citizens in first aid, crime prevention, and neighborhood safety.

The program is designed to meet one of the critical homeland security needs: citizen self-sufficiency and self-reliance. In the immediate 72 hours following a disaster, emergency management agencies are often overwhelmed and unable to deal with all the needs of the affected communities. This program trains private citizens to provide basic emergency care for their own neighborhoods in the critical time immediately following a disaster.
The Temecula Citizen Corps has achieved such impressive results that the Department of Homeland Security considers it a standard setter for local communities. It has also won widespread praise throughout the Southern California region for its efficiency and quality of training and is inspiring many other cities and communities to follow its example. Last week, the men and women of Temecula were recognized publicly by the Secretary of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, for the excellent program they have developed.

I am extremely proud of the City of Temecula for the dedication and effort they have invested in the Temecula Citizen Corps program. I am pleased to have had this opportunity to recognize them today and I encourage my colleagues to review their program as an example of what is possible when communities decide to take responsibility for their security needs.

END