Skip to main content

Richman awarded disaster response grant

Doctoral student Erica Richman has been awarded a 2011 Disaster Response Grant from the Carolina Center for Public Service.

The Center awards disaster response grants to facilitate response efforts of UNC-Chapel Hill faculty, staff and students. Richman received the award for her project, “PREP-NC: Helping Prepare North Carolina for Disasters and Emergencies” at the Family Support Program at the UNC School of Social Work. The project’s community partners include local service providers and emergency responders involved in emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

After tornadoes hit North Carolina last spring, the Family Support Program recognized a need for emergency preparedness for families and individuals. Preparedness can be a proactive mechanism that helps families and individuals recover and rebuild. It will also likely result in better outcomes the next time disaster strikes. The Family Support Program has developed trainings for emergency responders and community members, and plans to offer them at no charge to those impacted by last spring’s tornadoes in Wake, Johnston and Bertie counties. The trainings utilize the expertise of UNC faculty, local community members, and emergency management officials at the state level. Participants will receive an emergency preparedness backpack and learn how to prepare themselves and their families for emergencies. The Family Support Program is excited to be able to extend the expertise of UNC faculty and students to communities in North Carolina affected by recent disasters.