Be Prepared in Life and During Emergencies with “Arkansas Week”

11 Sep 2026 in
Programs

In this week’s episode of “Arkansas Week,” host Karen Walker, with representatives of the Arkansas National Guard, American Red Cross of Arkansas and Academies of Central Arkansas Foundation will dig a little deeper into the work they do for Arkansas communities as well as what our viewers can learn from them about preparedness – for employment, service or even an emergency.

“Arkansas Week” airs Friday, Sept. 11, at 6 p.m.

PREPARING FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Preparation is vital for college, careers and communities. This week, Markkus Jewett, President and CEO of Academies of Central Arkansas Foundation (ACAF), along with Chad Bridges, Adjutant General of the Arkansas National Guard, will share their collaborative plans to provide career education and experience to students before high school graduation.

ACAF connects students from the Jacksonville North Pulaski, North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special School Districts with resources from their 172-plus business partners. Students from the academy have collectively earned more than 2,100 industry certifications along with concurrent credit, giving them a head start on life after graduation. The National Guard will be offering its own 200-plus career paths to students under the ACAF program to promote what the U.S. military calls the “Three E’s” postgraduate pathways: Enlistment, Enrollment, Employment.

COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS 

The National Guard will be promoting their collaboration with ACAF as part of their 2026 Minute Man Day event schedule. The event will be hosted on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Camp Robinson, the Arkansas National Guard home base in North Little Rock. The event aims to connect the local community with the Arkansas Army and Air National Guard through a variety of friendly competitions and educational opportunities.

Minute Man Day will feature ACAF at its health, wellness and education fair, where visitors can learn about benefits provided to service members. The fair will feature representatives from different fields as well as partner universities, colleges, and other organizations.

Minute Man Day will also showcase how the National Guard supports the local community through disaster relief. Visitors will learn about the local soldiers and airmen and become familiar with the equipment they use (helicopters included).

PREPARING FOR THE WORST

Another way the National Guard prepares for assisting Arkansas communities is by working closely with the American Red Cross of Arkansas, which has a facility on Camp Robinson and will also be featured at Minute Man Day. During "Arkansas Week," Colonel Joel Lynch with Deputy Regional Disaster Officer Lori Arnold share how they partner to prepare for and respond to crises, and how viewers can prepare themselves and their communities for emergencies. Colonel Lynch and Deputy Arnold have even shared their tips for putting together a home emergency kit. 

See extended kit suggestions as well as additional educational materials and resources for disaster aid at redcross.org/get-help.

The American Red Cross of Arkansas not only works with the National Guard, but also with civilians to “help people prevent, prepare for and respond to natural and man-made disasters and emergencies.” They execute their mission by providing educational resources to communities and by mobilizing people and resources during disasters. For information on how the Red Cross is assisting with a current natural disaster, see our last blog post, “Arkansas Week: On This Summer’s Historic’ Heatwave.”

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS 

FEATURED PANELLISTS

HOW TO WATCH

Tune in to "Arkansas Week" Fridays at 6, and watch again on ATV-1 Saturdays, at 5 p.m., Sundays, at 9:30 a.m., and Mondays, at 6 p.m. Watch anytime on demand at our YouTube channel.

Find past episodes, links and resources mentioned at arkansastv.gov/arkansasweek.

 

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