O’Mara praises participation at Emergency Preparedness Training Program in Elmira on Tuesday ~ Event at Ernie Davis Academy continued series of programs that have been held around the state to train 100,000 New Yorkers (UPDATED, September 28)

Elmira, N.Y., September 28 — State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I-Big Flats) today praised last night's participation at a New York State “Citizen Preparedness Corps Training Program” at the Ernie Davis Academy last night.

[UPDATE: Read and watch more from WENY-TV, "Are you prepared in the event of an emergency"]

“It was a successful and important emergency preparedness training session in Elmira last night.  Thank you to the instructors and to all of the area residents who attended," said O'Mara.  "Communities and citizens across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions understand the critical importance of citizen preparedness in the face of unexpected natural disasters and other emergencies. Our entire area has been hard hit over the past several years following Hurricane Irene and other severe storms, floods and emergencies.  As a result, this emergency preparedness and response initiative has been welcomed and worthwhile in many places."

For additional information, including the schedule of programs being offered statewide, visit http://prepare.ny.gov/training-events.  

The state launched the Citizen Preparedness Corps Training Program in early 2014 with the goal of training 100,000 New Yorkers “to be first responders in their own homes and in their communities.”  The program seeks to provide citizens with tools and resources to help them better prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters.  Trainings are led by the New York National Guard together with experts from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ Office of Emergency Management and the Office of Fire Prevention and Control. The local training sessions are coordinated with local county emergency management personnel.

Across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes, training programs have already been held and well received in a number of locations, including Bath, Corning, Hornell, Horseheads, Ithaca and Penn Yan.