Disaster preparedness: Carson City volunteers sought for Emergency Response Team
Would you like to be better prepared for an emergency in your home, neighborhood and community? Please join us at 5:30 p.m. on August 8th to learn about how you can be ready when a disaster strikes. The meeting will be held at the Carson City Fire Department 777 S Stewart St, Carson City.
The CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact our area. The CERT program covers instruction in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations. This allows firefighters and other first responders to focus on more complex tasks. Through CERT, the capabilities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters is built and enhanced.
Since 1993, CERT has impacted communities across the country, building essentials skills and capabilities to prepare for and respond to any disaster.
There are now CERT programs in all 50 states, including many tribal nations and U.S. territories; each unique to its community but all essential to building a culture of preparedness. CERT has become a national program and is sponsored by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
Carson City CERT is comprised of those who live in and around Carson City and the surrounding communities. Our primary purpose is to educate people about disaster preparedness — events that may impact us at home, work, or play. However, members of Carson City CERT receive initial CERT training which covers basic disaster response skills.
Once trained, CERT members can assist themselves, their families, their neighbors and workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. In a widespread emergency event like an earthquake, it could be three to seven DAYS before emergency responders are able to reach the neighborhoods and business in and around Carson City.
There are simply not enough first responders to meet the needs of any community in great need. This is when your basic CERT training becomes an effective stopgap until first responders can take charge. CERT members also help with non-emergency projects that might improve the safety of their communities as well as give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to affected individuals and organize volunteers at a disaster site.
Please join us for this orientation and if you have any questions, please call Barbara at (775) 781-3555.
WHO: Carson City Fire Department CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)
WHAT: Orientation Meeting
WHEN: August 8, 2022 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: 777 S. Stewart Street, Carson City.