Mark Cerney
Encyclopedia
Mark V. Cerney is the founder of an American
nonprofit organization. He is best known for creating the Next of Kin
Registry (NOKR) organization.
His background includes graduating the St. John's Military School
and serving with the US Marine Corp 1986-1993. He is married and has three children. The Next of Kin Registry became internationally known after appearing on CNN
and Larry King
after Hurricane Katrina
. NOKR is an international free resource for the public to register emergency contact information that is only accessible to emergency agencies during times of urgent need. The organization was founded in 2004 and has been a resource used during Hurricane Katrina
, 7 July 2005 London bombings
, Asian Tsunami and other disasters to include daily emergencies. The NOKR organization has volunteers in 47 US states and 87 countries. NOKR is the central depository for emergency contact information in the United States. Several other States have opted to use the NOKR model to set up their own Department of Motor Vehicles
registries, including, South Carolina
, Colorado
, Delaware
, Florida
, Illinois
, Indiana
, New Jersey
and Ohio
. The NOKR resource is used by more than 150 million registrants.
In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, Senator Barack Obama
(now President) introduced the National Next of Kin Registry to the 109th United States Congress
in S.1630, The National Emergency Family Locator Act. The Next of Kin Registry was referenced in this bill as a standard for the Secretary of Homeland Security to consider in establishing the National Emergency Family Locator System.
In 2006 the American Red Cross
partnered with the Next of Kin Registry. The American Red Cross, along with many familiar partner agencies, such as FEMA, the United States Postal Service
and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
, wanted to ensure that families have a bevy of resources and options to use in order to communicate in times of disaster.
In 2007 the US Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) consulted with the Next of Kin Registry in an effort to answer HR5441 (Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007), SEC. 689c. NOKR put forth the requested solution for the National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System (NEFRLS), which was established in compliance with Congressional legislation SEC. 689c of H.R. 5441 to help family members separated after major disasters to communicate with one another.
Mark serves as the President of NOKR in Washington, D.C.
, a non-profit public benefit resource used globally by emergency agencies to reunify families when emergencies happen or national disasters occur.
2010 Haiti earthquake
and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
.
the former Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R), a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a position generally referred to as the director or administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) became the Chief Executive Officer of NOKR.
United States legislation
Media coverage
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nonprofit organization. He is best known for creating the Next of Kin
Next of Kin
Next of Kin could refer to;*Next of kin, a term used to describe blood relatives*Next of Kin , a 1995 to 1997 British sitcom with Penelope Keith*The Next of Kin, a 1942 British film often called Next of Kin...
Registry (NOKR) organization.
His background includes graduating the St. John's Military School
St. John's Military School
St. John's Military School, located in Salina, Kansas, is a private boarding military school for male students from grades 6 to 12. It aims to develop students' academic and leadership skills in a "military environment" overseen by a President, Academic Dean and Commandant of Cadets. It has the...
and serving with the US Marine Corp 1986-1993. He is married and has three children. The Next of Kin Registry became internationally known after appearing on CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
and Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. NOKR is an international free resource for the public to register emergency contact information that is only accessible to emergency agencies during times of urgent need. The organization was founded in 2004 and has been a resource used during Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, 7 July 2005 London bombings
7 July 2005 London bombings
The 7 July 2005 London bombings were a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks in the United Kingdom, targeting civilians using London's public transport system during the morning rush hour....
, Asian Tsunami and other disasters to include daily emergencies. The NOKR organization has volunteers in 47 US states and 87 countries. NOKR is the central depository for emergency contact information in the United States. Several other States have opted to use the NOKR model to set up their own Department of Motor Vehicles
Department of Motor Vehicles
In the United States of America, a Department of Motor Vehicles is a state-level government agency that administers vehicle registration and driver licensing. Similar departments exist in Canada...
registries, including, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The NOKR resource is used by more than 150 million registrants.
In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, Senator Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
(now President) introduced the National Next of Kin Registry to the 109th United States Congress
109th United States Congress
The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, during the fifth and sixth years of George W. Bush's presidency. House members...
in S.1630, The National Emergency Family Locator Act. The Next of Kin Registry was referenced in this bill as a standard for the Secretary of Homeland Security to consider in establishing the National Emergency Family Locator System.
In 2006 the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
partnered with the Next of Kin Registry. The American Red Cross, along with many familiar partner agencies, such as FEMA, the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a private, non-profit organization established in 1984 by the United States Congress.-Establishment and overview:...
, wanted to ensure that families have a bevy of resources and options to use in order to communicate in times of disaster.
In 2007 the US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) consulted with the Next of Kin Registry in an effort to answer HR5441 (Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2007), SEC. 689c. NOKR put forth the requested solution for the National Emergency Family Registry and Locator System (NEFRLS), which was established in compliance with Congressional legislation SEC. 689c of H.R. 5441 to help family members separated after major disasters to communicate with one another.
Mark serves as the President of NOKR in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, a non-profit public benefit resource used globally by emergency agencies to reunify families when emergencies happen or national disasters occur.
International usage
In recent times the NOKR resource was used during the 2009 Samoa earthquake2009 Samoa earthquake
The 2009 Samoa earthquake was an 8.1 Mw submarine earthquake that took place in the Samoan Islands region at 06:48:11 local time on September 29, 2009 . At a magnitude of 8.1, it was the largest earthquake of 2009....
2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
.
Management and organizational history
In July 2009, Michael D. BrownMichael D. Brown
Michael DeWayne Brown was the first Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response , a division of the Department of Homeland Security . This position is generally referred to as the director or administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency . He was appointed in January 2003 by...
the former Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response (EP&R), a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a position generally referred to as the director or administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
(FEMA) became the Chief Executive Officer of NOKR.
External links
- Next of Kin Registry
- US Department of Homeland Security FEMA Disasterhelp.gov - listed under Gathering Up Loved Ones NOKR
- USA Governments Portal USA.gov - listed under Family Services'
- Meet the Wisdom Makers - Mark Cerney
United States legislation
- Senator Barack ObamaBarack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
S.1630.IS The National Emergency Family Locator Act - Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald H.R.3999.IH The National Emergency Family Locator Act
- Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr.H.R.2560.IH The Elaine Sullivan Act
Media coverage