First council formed in Northern California following President Bush's announcement of the Citizen Corps Council initiative in early 2002. Citywide recruitment, training and coordination of public safety and disaster response volunteers. Membership includes those serving in Benicia Emergency Response Teams (BERT), Auxiliary Communication Services (ACS), Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS), BERT Amateur Radio Auxiliary, Neighborhood Watch, Benicia Volunteer Fire and local Red Cross volunteers. Total Citizen Corps volunteers (all programs) equal 600 in this small town of just 28,000.