Orange County
Citizen Corps

About Citizen Corps Council

“Making Our Communities Safer, Stronger and Better Prepared”

The Orange County Citizen Corps Council exists to assist in the efforts of training and educating citizens on emergency preparedness, crime prevention and disaster planning through the volunteer programs that comprise Orange County Citizen Corps. The Council is an Advisory Board with members selected by the County Mayor and each County Commissioner.

More details about the Orange County Citizen Corps Council can be found at the Details link on the left side of this page.

About Citizen Corps

“Uniting Communities, Preparing The Nation”

Orange County Citizen Corps consists of four programs which offer you opportunities to coordinate your efforts with those of other citizen volunteers to make our communities safer, stronger and better prepared to respond to all types of disasters. Orange County Citizen Corps offers education, training and volunteer services to the local community. The overall goal is to involve citizens and help them better prepare communities and neighborhoods to make a difference. Orange County Citizen Corps programs are, Citizens on Patrol, Community and Business Emergency Response Teams, Medical Reserve Corps, and Neighborhood Watch.

Citizens on Patrol (COPS) uses civilian volunteers to allow more time for sworn officers to address major crimes by performing such activities as providing assistance in preparing police reports, checking homes while residents are on vacation, providing bike patrols in community parks and patrolling shopping centers.

Community or Business Emergency Response Teams (CERT or BERT) helps communities, organizations or businesses train and educate volunteer teams about disaster preparedness and basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue and medical operations.

Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) coordinates the skills of practicing and retired physicians, nurses and other health professionals who are eager to offer their services and help local citizens in times of extended emergency situations.

Neighborhood Watch empowers citizens to better prepare and safeguard their communities in the event of an emergency situation. Citizens are also taught procedures in documenting and reporting suspicious activity within their neighborhoods.

Volunteer

Citizen volunteers can take an active role in protecting themselves from harm, and teach citizens what to do in the event of a crisis. The Orange County Florida Citizen Corps Council invites local citizens of all ages and abilities with an interest in building a safe community to volunteer in one or more crime prevention and disaster mitigation programs. Volunteer training programs are the foundation for this national approach to citizen participation in community safety. Citizen Corps volunteers are needed to educate the Orange County residents and visitors in public safety. To become a Citizen Corps Volunteer please call (407) 836-9140 for free training or email ocoem@ocfl.net.

Contact Us

Office of Emergency Management
P.O. Box 5879
Winter Park, Florida 32793

Email: ocoem@ocfl.net
Phone: (407) 836-9140

All e-mail sent to this address becomes part of Orange County public record. Comments received by our e-mail subsystem can be read by anyone who requests that privilege. In compliance with "Government in the Sunshine" laws, Orange County Government must make available, at request, any and all information not deemed a threat to the security of law enforcement agencies and personnel.