Trocaire College will host a Citizens Preparedness Training course for New York state residents to attend. The course will take place on Wed., March 11 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. in the Margaret Wendt Center at the main campus located at 360 Choate Avenue in South Buffalo. New York State offers this two hour course for residents to gain the tools and resources to prepare for any type of disaster, teach them to respond accordingly and recover as quickly as possible to pre-disaster conditions.

Those interested in the South Buffalo location training at Trocaire are encouraged to register at www.prepare.ny.gov. A key component to the training is distribution of free NYS Disaster Preparedness Kits to each family that attends the event. Upon completion of the session, attendees will receive their free NYS Disaster Preparedness Kit.

With severe weather events becoming more frequent and extreme, it is more important than ever that New Yorkers are prepared for disasters. Governor Cuomo has launched the New York State Citizen Preparedness Corps so residents have the tools and resources to prepare.  Citizen Preparedness training will begin in February and will be held at armories and other locations across the state. Trainings will be 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. All training sessions will be coordinated with local county emergency management personnel.

The training course will provide an introduction to responding to a natural or man-made 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. Proper preparation in the home will be emphasized with encouragement to ensure that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, along with fire extinguishers, are all available and in proper working order. Trainers will supply information on what organizations can provide additional support; how to register for NY-Alert, the free statewide emergency alert system; and how to be aware of notifications from such sources as the Emergency ALERT System (EAS). Participants will also be encouraged to get more involved in existing community-based emergency activities that may be organized through local schools, businesses or community-based organizations.