Are you prepared for an emergency that would affect our entire community? The Clarke County Emergency Management Agency is looking for those special volunteers to receive certification for a Community Emergency Response Team.
In 95% of all emergencies, the victim or bystander provides the first immediate assistance on the scene. Would you know what to do?
What do Cert Teams do in an Emergency?
Under the direction of local emergency responders, CERT teams help provide critical support by giving immediate assistance to victims, providing damage assessment information, and organizing other volunteers at a disaster site. Volunteers trained in CERT also offer a potential workforce for performing duties such as shelter support, crowd control, and evacuation. The role of a CERT volunteer is to help others until emergency personnel arrive.
How does CERT help the community?
In addition to supporting emergency responders during a disaster, the CERT program builds strong working relationships between emergency responders and the people they serve. CERT teams also help the community year-round by helping with community emergency plans, neighborhood exercises, preparedness outreach, fire safety education, and workplace safety. In Clarke County, you may see us directing traffic at various running events and during most parades. You may also see us assisting with training events for the various responders.
Going on 7 years of Service, the Clarke County CERT organization is a pool of volunteers who have joined together and have been educated about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact the area they live in. They have been trained in basic disaster response skills and are able to give support to the emergency response agencies in their area. CERT volunteers are trained to give critical support to their family, loved ones, neighbors, and co-workers until help arrives.
As a member of a CERT team, you can respond to disasters, participate in drills and exercises, and take additional training. CERT teams are known and trusted resources to emergency responders and their communities.
CERT is an integral part of Citizen Corps, the grass-roots movement that actively involves everyone in making our communities and our nation safer, stronger, and better prepared. All over America, communities have organized Citizen Corps Councils to inspire people to take action and get involved. To learn more about CERT and other Citizen Corps programs in your area, visit https://www.fema.gov/
Who should take CERT training?
Anyone who wants to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities.
After 20 hours of classroom training, you will be able to:
- Identify and anticipate hazards including terrorism
- Reduce fire hazards in the home and workplace
- Extinguish small fires
- Assist emergency responders
- Conduct light search and rescue
- Set up medical treatment areas
- Apply basic medical techniques
- Help reduce survivor stress
Advanced training is available
We would love to train you. If you feel that this is something you would like to learn and give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site, Come to our training meeting August 21nd 6pm at the Courthouse. Jamey Robinson, Mahaska County EMA Coordinator will be our guest speaker. We will also see a presentation from the Clarke County Public Health Department on a program they are partnering with Clarke County Hospital on called, “Stop the Bleed.”
You can Email Byron Jimmerson Emergency Management Coordinator bjimmerson@clarkecountyiowa.
Check out the FEMA website for more information:
https://www.fema.gov/
