BOTHELL, Wash. - FEMA welcomes Madeline Ortiz from Palmer, Alaska as one of the 15 national selectees for the 2019-2020 Youth Preparedness Council (YPC). 
FEMA created the YPC in 2012 to bring together young leaders who are interested in supporting disaster preparedness and making a difference in their communities by completing disaster preparedness projects nationally and locally. The 15 council members are attending the Youth Preparedness Council Summit in Washington, D.C., from July 16-17, to meet with FEMA leaders and other youth preparedness affirmers to prepare for the year ahead.
In November 2018, a catastrophic 7.1 earthquake and aftershocks affected Madeline’s community and thinking about the importance of emergency preparedness, she helped organize the programming, public outreach, and funding for the Last Frontier Honor Flight. This program provided Alaskan war veterans with travel and accommodations to visit monuments and memorials in Washington, D.C.
“We’re very proud of the contributions Madeline has already made to her community and the country and I look forward to the positive impact she will have as a new YPC member,” said FEMA Region 10 Administrator Mike O’Hare.
During her time on the council, Madeline would like to provide representation for Alaskans. On a national level, she hopes to create a forum for different jurisdictions to share best practices in emergency preparedness. Locally, Madeline hopes to build awareness about pre-existing state and national preparedness programs.
To learn more about the FEMA Youth Preparedness Council, please visit: www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council.
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FEMA's mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.