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About Us
Greater Kirkland Citzen Corps (GKCCC) was created in 2007. A Citizen Corps Council is community volunteers acting together under the elected leadership of a Board with the basic purpose of promoting preparedness for Disaster Situations. By Greater, we mean all of Kirkland, its residents, its businesses and their employees as well as Kirkland's clubs and schools and organizations. We also want to include those areas served by the Kirkland Fire Department in the same way. Collectivly, they are referred to as Fire District 41.
Our goal is to work with so that our community can recover quickly from a disaster brought on by any of the hazards we face.
Here in Kirkland, that means we work with Kirkland Fire Department's Emergency Management group so non-government actions and activities get some coordination. It also means communicating with various (hopefully all) Neighborhood Associations to educate and inform the public about our purpose and actions.
We intend to be an 'umbrella' organization for groups and clubs and other organizations that have Disaster Preparedness components. Initially these are CERT trained citizens and ARES volunteers. CERT is "Citizen Emergency Response Team (or Training)" and Kirkland Fire does the training. ARES is "Amateur Radio Emergency Services" and these folks run radio communications to support our city using their skills as licensed radio operators. In the future, any club or organization that sees fit to coordiante its Disaster Preparations through GKCCC will be welcome to do so.
What GKCCC aspires to offer is recognition by the Kirkland City Council and coordination with City of Kirkland departments and agencies. GKCCC would be happy to be contacted by businesses, clubs or organizations about Disaster Preparedness matters. We hope that we can reach out to that same list and offer the same connectivity.
We are not trying to take over any participating organization. Instead, we prefer they remain self governing and self organized. At the same time, the City of Kirkland may desire that Disaster Preparations be coordinated through GKCCC to reduce costs while keeping as much control as possible in the hands of citizens.
One other aspect of GKCCC that has not been discussed is community events or activities that promote neighborhood communications and community pride. I mention this because as we all know, we hope disasters never do in fact strike. So, staying prepared and ready (equipped and practiced and trained) may require drills or other events that exercise us in different ways while also serving to keep lines of personal communication open.
You are invited to check out http://www.citizencorps.gov/ for additional information on Citizen Corps Councils. This Homeland Security Agency (with FEMA) program has many flavors across the nation. Greater Kirkland Citizen Corps Council is but one of them.
Committees
GKCCC has an Executive Committee: President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary.
It also has four steering committees (names will be familiar to Disaster Workers nation wide): Liaison, Information, Operations and Finance... each will guide committees that get the additional work done as we get people willing to participate.
Future
GKCCC would like CERT trained and ARES trained folks to act as seeds. We would like them to learn about the Map Your Neighborhood (MYN: pronounced 'mine') program and start Kirkland neighborhood blocks out with this unifying, common sense program. Hopefully, we can also recruit people for CERT training and learn who else is interested in Disaster Preparedness.
How Can I Help?
Join us by click on the 'How to Get Involved' link on our website
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