[The White House] – On Tuesday, Sept. 24, the White House will honor local heroes who are “Champions of Change for Community Preparedness and Resilience.” The event will celebrate Americans who are preparing communities for disasters and helping them respond and recover, bringing members of the whole community together – private businesses, local government, community and faith-based organizations, and individual citizens – to make a difference.
As the President said in his 2013 Proclamation for National Preparedness Month, “Time and again, America faces crises that test our readiness and challenge our resolve – from natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods to shootings, cyber incidents, and even acts of terrorism. While my Administration is working tirelessly to avert national tragedies, it is every American’s responsibility to be prepared. By planning for emergencies, individuals can protect themselves and their families while also contributing to their communities’ resilience… ordinary Americans have stepped up in moments of trial and tragedy to perform real acts of heroism.”
In 2012, the cost of weather disasters alone exceeded $110 billion in the United States. Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of events like storms, floods, heat waves and wildfires. In June the President released his Climate Action Plan which steps up our efforts to prepare the Nation for these impacts so we can better protect homes, businesses, and ways of life from severe weather. Also recognizing the need to increase the participation of individual citizens, businesses, and organizations, President Obama directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to launch a comprehensive campaign to build and sustain national preparedness among Americans of all backgrounds and ages, moving them from awareness to action. The Champions we will recognize have been leaders in this initiative.
The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White House to feature individuals, businesses, and organizations doing extraordinary things to empower and inspire members of their communities.
With the rapid advances in social media and instant communications, Captain Mike Parker saw the opportunity for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) to improve public safety through online partnering with the public, other policing agencies and emergency services. The LASD website was redesigned and LASD Nixle text and email messaging, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Pinterest were implemented. The LASD’s new 100+ community-based communications platforms have evolved into interagency crisis communications systems that partner with the public and news media to routinely improve community safety and reduce unnecessary fear. He and the newly formed eComm Unit of Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau (SHB) have also presented 8-16 hours of formal training to over 1000 personnel from 150 agencies including five foreign countries. He has published over 100 articles with an emphasis on communications, community policing and problem solving, and created a website to provide implementation information for other agencies. He is a 29-year veteran of the LASD, and Unit Commander of SHB since 2009.
During National Preparedness Month in September, the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region urges everyone to prepare for worsening climate disasters affecting Southern California communities that have experienced recent extreme heat, storms, flooding, as well as increasingly longer wildfire seasons year over year.
This September, the City of Santa Clarita will participate in National Preparedness Month, a nationwide campaign designed to educate the public on how to prepare for emergencies and disasters.
From the devastating and destructive fires in Maui, to Tropical Storm Hilary hitting Southern California, in an increasingly unpredictable world, natural disasters can occur at any moment.
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The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health has launched a new campaign to increase awareness of the Department’s Alternative Crisis Response Program and to foster trust in the program’s Field Intervention Teams which serve as the county’s first responders for mental health crisis support.
The Los Angeles County Library is hosting a series of virtual programs from March 13 through June 13, with the next occurring on Thursday, March 13 at 5 p.m.
As another atmospheric river bears down on Los Angeles County, the Departments of Public Health and Beaches and Harbors are reminding potential beachgoers to avoid ocean water and wildfire debris.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has been notified of the first case of measles diagnosed in 2025 in a Los Angeles County resident that recently traveled through Los Angeles International Airport.
The Soroptimist International of Greater Santa Clarita Valley 16th Annual Wine Affair: Wine, Beer and Cheer Big Hat Bash will be held Sunday, April 6 on Main Street in Old Town Newhall from noon to 5 p.m.
The city of Santa Clarita's art exhibition, "Saddle Up Santa Clarita" will run through Wednesday, May 14 at Santa Clarita City Hall, 23920 Valencia Blvd., Valencia, CA 91355.
The William S. Hart Union High School District has announced that 10 high school seniors have been named National Merit Scholarship Finalists in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program.
The Master's University Theater Arts presents 'The Importance of Being Earnest' by Oscar Wilde Fridays and Saturdays, March 21-29 at The Master's University, Music Recital Hall at 24736 Quigley Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91321.
Beginning Monday, March 17, at 6 a.m., Jet will be hosting “Jet into Work,” on 88.5-FM, The SoCal Sound which will lend a fun and upbeat start to listeners’ mornings.
Safely dispose of household hazardous waste and electronic waste for free 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. Saturday, April 5 at the College of the Canyons Valencia Campus, 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91355.
The Music Center has announced 113 of Southern California’s most talented high school students have advanced in The Music Center’s 37th Annual Spotlight program, which includes three students from the Santa Clarita Valley.
The track and field teams at The Master's University began their 2025 outdoor campaign at the Occidental Spring Break Classic on Saturday, March 8. Multiple qualifiers were added and a school record fell in the men's 4x100m relay.
Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo has announced the introduction of the Roads to Resilience Act, AB 1132, a piece of legislation designed to prioritize the needs of communities disproportionately impacted by climate disasters.
Opera America, a nonprofit that supports opera in the United States, recently announced the 2025 recipients of two of its prestigious distinctions: the 2025 Robert L.B. Tobin Director-Designer Prize and the Discovery Grants from its Opera Grants for Women Composers program.
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health has launched a new campaign to increase awareness of the Department’s Alternative Crisis Response Program and to foster trust in the program’s Field Intervention Teams which serve as the county’s first responders for mental health crisis support.
The Los Angeles County Library is hosting a series of virtual programs from March 13 through June 13, with the next occurring on Thursday, March 13 at 5 p.m.
The 47th Annual St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church Lenten Fish Fry opened for the season on Friday, March 7, and sold out within hours. It will continue every Friday through April 11.
California State Department of Education State Superintendent Tony Thurmond is sponsoring legislation, Senate Bill 502, to help local educational agencies across California address the housing affordability crisis by providing critical funding to support the development of housing for educators and school employees.
The Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation unanimously passed Sen. Suzette Valladares’ (R-Santa Clarita) Senate Bill 23 – the “Home for Heroes Act” – from committee on a 5-0, bipartisan vote of approval.
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency will hold a special board meeting on Tuesday, March 18 starting at 5 p.m. followed by the regular board meeting at 6 p.m.
As another atmospheric river bears down on Los Angeles County, the Departments of Public Health and Beaches and Harbors are reminding potential beachgoers to avoid ocean water and wildfire debris.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has been notified of the first case of measles diagnosed in 2025 in a Los Angeles County resident that recently traveled through Los Angeles International Airport.
The hilarious and heartfelt production, "A Couple of Blaguards", is coming to The MAIN from Friday, March 14, to Sunday, March 23, just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day.
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