Et cetera : NCCC-FEMA Team Leaders Complete 3-day Project in Kansas City

Team leaders posing at the Region VII FEMA office.

Class 22 ready for action at the Region VII FEMA offices.

by Ariel Faber and Anthony Cepin

FEMA Corps Class 22 from Vinton, Iowa has successfully completed their team leader training project! For the first time a FEMA Corps class of team leaders was invited to a project at a Regional Office to receive crucial training and information that will prepare them for the upcoming months. Fourteen team leaders traveled to FEMA's Region VII office in Kansas City, Missouri to put their training to the test.

Before departure, team leaders prepared pre-project paperwork along with other responsibilities that pertained to their representative positions. They packed up their things and left early and eager to begin their journey to Kansas City, Missouri. The team was greeted with open arms from the friendly FEMA personnel.

During their time in Kansas City, they learned about the daily operating functions of FEMA and how they, as team leaders, will play a role in those activities. They witnessed a Daily Readiness Brief, which is when the regional staff come together to discuss the status of the counties and states within the region including the weather and disaster declarations. They were also present for an Incident Management Assistance Team Conference Call which allows FEMA regional staff to discuss pending disaster requests with affected areas. Finally, the team leaders learned what a Regional Response Coordination Center looks like and how it functions.

Even though the team leaders come from diverse backgrounds, they all agree that they have gained a lot from this experience. They are extremely grateful for this opportunity and would like to formally thank everyone that made this project possible from the AmeriCorps NCCC-FEMA Corps staff to the FEMA staff in Region VII. They will be sure to apply the knowledge gained for the upcoming months and beyond!