SUNY Canton Hosts Citizen Emergency Preparedness Training on Saturday

CANTON, NY (04/01/2014)(readMedia)-- A team of New York National Guard Soldiers will be teaching civilians to be ready for almost any disaster as part of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Citizen Preparedness Program.

A Citizen Preparedness Corps training will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 5, at SUNY Canton's Roos House Athletic Center. The event is free and open to the public. Those planning to attend should preregister at http://www.nyprepare.gov/aware-prepare/nysprepare/registration.

"We have robust academic programs in the fields of Homeland Security, and Emergency Management in addition to our renowned Criminal Justice curricula," said SUNY Canton Acting President Joseph C. Hoffman. "This training augments what many of our students are learning in their courses and is designed to prepare the public for natural or man-made disasters."

State Senator Patty A. Ritchie, Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, St. Lawrence County Board of Legislators Chair Jonathan Putney, and the St. Lawrence County Emergency Services Office are cosponsoring the training.

The two-hour program comes with a free disaster preparedness kit, including a first-aid kit, pocket radio with batteries, food bars, emergency blanket and other key items to help citizens in the immediate aftermath of a disaster. Participants will be advised on how to properly prepare for any disaster, including developing a family emergency plan and stocking up on emergency supplies.

SUNY Canton is in the running to become the State's College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cyber Security through a partnership with Clarkson University, Potsdam. The Colleges would become the first in the nation devoted to homeland security and would establish integrated education, training and research in a comprehensive public-private partnership.

About the Citizen Preparedness Corps:

The Citizen Preparedness Corps training began in February and has been held about a dozen times in various locations across the state. Trainings are led by the New York National Guard, working with experts from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services' Office of Emergency Management and Office of Fire Prevention and Control. Training sessions will be coordinated with local county emergency management personnel.

About SUNY Canton:

SUNY Canton is Northern New York's premier College for career-driven bachelor's degrees, associate degrees and certificate programs. The College delivers quality hands-on programs in engineering technology, health, management, and public service to students in the North Country, New York State, and beyond. Faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to their academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers hundreds of flexible and convenient courses as well as eight exclusively online bachelor's degrees. The College's 14 athletic teams compete in state-of-the-art facilities as provisional members of the NCAA Division III and the USCAA.

-www.canton.edu-