BUCKHANNON — Unsure how to support yourself and your community during unexpected crises? The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is here to transform that uncertainty into action. With specialized training in everything from fire safety to animal sheltering, CERT empowers volunteers with the skills they need to respond effectively during disasters.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- How can I help myself, my family, and my neighbors in an emergency?
- How much water and food should I have on hand for emergencies?
- Where can I go if I need to evacuate the area?
- How will others know where I am if I evacuate?
- How can I help those who are injured?
If you answered I don’t know or I’m not sure, CERT can remove the uncertainty in those situations!
What is CERT?
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them 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, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks. Check out the attached PDFs for more information about CERT.
We are looking for volunteers interested in helping their communities during emergency situations. We have openings in the following divisions:
- Basic CERT response (triage, search and rescue, operations, logistics, etc.)
- Administration / Emergency Operations Center
- Animal Response / Sheltering
- Traffic & Crowd Management
- Emergency Communications (Amateur Radio / ARES)
If CERT is something that sounds interesting to you, or if you simply have questions or want more information, join us at our next public CERT information meeting.
Date & time: Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at 7 p.m.
Location: Public Safety Complex Training Room, 24 South Florida St., Buckhannon WV 26201
