— Information courtesy of Warren County Manager’s Office
Disasters can be enormous or small, affecting entire cities or significant areas that straddle state lines. After a natural disaster or catastrophic event, first responders, utility workers, and emergency service workers are inundated with emergencies and recovery efforts.
But having an active Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program allows residents to be more self-sufficient which, in turn, lets emergency personnel attend to the recovery efforts promptly.
Warren County is looking for volunteers to be certified in the CERT program to learn how to prepare for natural and man-made disasters that may affect their community. The program provides a consistent approach to disaster preparedness training and organization that first responders can rely on during a disaster. CERT members receive training in the following areas to help them care for themselves, their families and their communities:
- Disaster Planning
- Damage Assessment
- EOC assistance
- Team Organization
- Disaster Psychology
- Disaster Simulation
Volunteers must be 18 or older, agree to comply with Warren County Emergency Management ethics policies, complete a 21-hour CERT training series and obtain the FEMA online training certificates, take an American Heart Association CPR class, and complete 16 volunteer hours annually in emergency management, training and outreach and community involvement programs and sign a Code of Conduct certificate.
Any class participant and certified CERT member who is unable or unwilling to meet or maintain the Public Safety CERT program requirements, including the background check criteria, will be removed from the program and lose their CERT membership.
If you are interested in joining Warren County CERT Program, please call or contact Lewis Mustian 804.512-3045 lmustian@verizon.net or contact Chris Tucker 252. 257.1191 christucker@warrencountync.gov.