|
Facts:
Citizen-based training, unique
to a community and important for California.
The
Community Emergency Response Team
program began in 1987 after the Whittier Earthquake by the Los
Angeles City Fire Department and was adopted by FEMA. The program
highlights training and education in community preparedness. It may
be called another name in another city but the goal for many cities
and counties is to get folks to realize they need to get prepared and
then work on their family, neighborhood, workplace and schools to do
the same.
CERT programs have popped up all
over
the nation and have increased to nearly 150 in California. Cities and
counties across the state have incorporated CERT into their disaster
response plans while others have encouraged folks to attend training
to learn skills to help themselves.
There is a success story
around every
corner. We would like to share our Costa Mesa story. Fire Chief Jim
Ellis had a vision to see CERT take off and build upon the program he
started in 1998. Managed under the fire department, CERT is part of
the city’s emergency response plan and members are designated and
“oathed” as disaster service workers. Our city is served by its
own police and fire departments.
There
are currently 125 “Active”
CERT members with nearly 600 trained in neighborhoods and businesses
across our 16.4 square mile city. Costa Mesa has three levels of CERT
training for its members. These levels encourage advanced training
and skills to help residents help themselves so they can help our
city recover post disaster. Currently our members train with our
police department in traffic safety management. They attend American
Red Cross shelter training to assist the city staff with shelter
needs. They take advanced training online though the Emergency
Management Institute and spend extra hours attending refresher
exercises and training new CERT members. Our program meets monthly as
a team to build upon our training. This consistent training and
practice prepare members to work with public safety officials in a
disaster environment. CERT members have spent hours helping their
neighborhoods get organized using the Neighborhood Safety
Preparedness Program which was designed by a CERT grad. We host an
annual Alumni Banquet to recognize the achievements of members and to
focus on the coming year’s goals for CERT.
Our
number one goal is to keep the
program growing one member at a time. Participants who don’t want
to be part of or continue to be part of the team as a disaster
service worker don’t lose out. They have received over 20
hours of emergency preparedness training and know what the
city or county is doing to help them. And what city doesn’t want a
more prepared community! To find out more about CERT training, check
out the Citizen Corp website at www.citizencorps.gov.
or contact bemrick@ci.costa-mesa.ca.us.
If you have any
questions,
please contact us at: info@oursafetowns.com.
|
