Harris County Citizen Corps

Since Tropical Storm , the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike, the people of Harris County have acted with courage, compassion, and unity. To capture the spirit of service we have encouraged residents to dedicate at least two years of their lives—the equivalent of 4,000 hours—in service to others. The Harris County Citizen Corps Council coordinates with volunteer groups such as the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the United Way, and Citizen Corps programs to identify volunteer opportunities. The Citizen Corps programs include the Community Emergency Response Team, the Neighborhood Watch Program, Volunteers in Police Service, Fire Corps and the Medical Reserve Corps.    

The primary goal is to have all citizens participate in making neighborhoods safer by providing them the tools and training needed for preventing and handling threats of terrorism, crime, and disasters of all kinds.  

Harris County Citizen Corps volunteers have responded to numerous disasters such as Tropical Strom Allison, and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike, Harvey, and Winter Storm Uri and COIVD. During Hurricane Harvey, Citizen Corps members volunteered in the initial response and ongoing recovery phases, which was vital to the success of local agencies and organizations. Several teams worked at shelters distributing food, water, clothes, and shoes. They also cared for pets and rendered medical assistance. Citizen Corps members from across the county volunteered at donation centers, assisted their neighbors, served with traffic control and helped emergency responders transport residents to safety after evacuations.