Emergency helpers

Maryville to form amateur response team

By Mike Terry
Thursday, July 10, 2008 8:57 AM CDT

The Maryville Community Improvement Board is currently on the lookout for volunteers interested in joining a response team that would assist emergency services if a major disaster ever hit the village.

The new Community Emergency Response Team will be open to anyone over 14 and will hold its first training session on July 17.

"We did some research," said team organizer Dan Wright, who is also a member of the improvement board. "With the storms we have had and the recent earthquake, we thought it would be a good idea."

In a community like Maryville, which utilizes an all-volunteer fire department and operates with a limited number of police officers, Wright said that emergency officials can find themselves with their hands full very quickly.

Members of the CERT team will be trained in basic first aid, search and rescue, evaluating a disaster scene and how to survive without help for a period of at least 72 hours. By having CERT members taking care of the small matters, the professionals will have more ability to handle more serious situations.

"Nobody (on the CERT team) will be doing advanced medical procedures," he said. "But we can help by checking on people."

Once organized, Wright expects the team will operate through a phone tree with a centralized meeting point somewhere in Maryville. In the instance of something like a widespread power outage or a major storm, members would be dispatched to check area neighborhoods, senior living centers and other parts of the village to make sure everyone is all right.

Training will be handled by members of Collinsville's Emergency Response Team.

No experience will be necessary to join, although teenagers under 18 will need to obtain permission from their parents. Wright said they would be able to find a place for anyone, regardless of their age or physical capabilities, and nobody would be asked to do something they couldn't handle.

"We will only put people where they are comfortable," he said. "It's only as strenuous as you would make it."

Materials and training will be provided at no cost. Wright said they would like to have around 25 on the team and have already been spreading the word with fliers. Those interested should contact him or his wife Courtney at 205-3204.