When local disasters threaten Jefferson County communities, trained volunteers are ready.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates citizens on how to care for themselves and their surrounding areas in the first few hours of an emergency, before first responders arrive.
The Rock Community Fire Protection District is teaming with the Jefferson County Citizen Corps (JCCC) to offer a new branch of the Jefferson County CERT program.
Through CERT, citizens learn about disaster preparedness and receive training in basic response skills including first aid, CPR, fire safety, light search and rescue, medical operations, team organization and an overview of terrorism.
Ron Harder, Rock Community public information officer, said CERT training teaches volunteers how to identify and reduce potential hazards in their own homes and neighborhoods.
The new program will offer a localized group of CERT volunteers to serve as an extension of the fire district.
"It will create an arm of Rock Community in conjunction with Jefferson County CERT," Harder said.
The goal of the Rock Community CERT team will be to not only have a trained citizen team trained and ready, but to have a team that will also volunteer for projects that improve community emergency preparedness in their own neighborhoods.
Rock Community is hosting an informational meeting 7 p.m. July 8 at House 4, located at 3889 Miller Road in Arnold. Attendees are under no obligation to commit to training or volunteering at the meeting, and no qualifications are required to begin CERT training.
To become a trained CERT volunteer, local residents must participate in a 20-hour training program approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Expenses for CERT training is covered by the Department of Homeland Security's Citizen Corps Grant program.
For more information, visit the district's Web site at www.rockfire-rescue.org or call 636-296-2211.
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