COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT)

SRV-CERT Coordinator: Rosemary Allison
 
SRV-CERT Members: Eric Peterson


THERE IS A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE TO PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL PAGE,
AND IT WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, BUT PLEASE COME BACK OFTEN TO
SEE HOW WE ARE PROGRESSING. YOUR COMMENTS ARE WELCOME.


A Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) begins with organization and training. Details of what a CER Team is and how it is intended to operate are presented on the Citizen Corps Website.

The Santa Rosa Valley CERT was started by valley resident and Santa Rosa Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) representative Rosemary Allison. She helped organize the first CERT Training Class for Valley residents, and she is continuing to coordinate CERT Training for those interested. You may contact her at this link. CERT Training is presented by specially qualified members of the Ventura County Fire Department.

Organization of the Team is a next step.

Preparation of a Community Plan is outstanding.

Communications is key to a successful CERT. This Webpage and the associated CERT eMail Reflector are designed to help Organizational Communications. A Tactical Communications capability that will provide emergency communications with public service agencies and allow all interested Valley residents and business owners to participate is being explored under the leadership of several local Amateur Radio Operators.


Register for participation on the CERT eMail Reflector by clicking on the REGISTRATION Link in the Menu Frame.


GREAT - SHAKEOUT
November 13, 2008

To learn more about this very important exercise look at:

http://www.shakeout.org/register/

Although our CER Team still isn't organized, those who have attended CERT Training will want to look at:

http://www.shakeout.org/certmembers/

To learn about what specifically is happening in Ventura County link to:

http://www.shakeout.org/ventura/


CALIFORNIA 2008 GOLDEN GUARDIAN EXERCISE
November 13-18, 2008

California's emergency preparedness exercise this year will be based upon
a Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake on the southern portion of the San Andreas
Fault. Every City, County, and State agency will be participating.

See the Governor's Office of Homeland Security site for more information.


INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM (ICS) COURSE


It is important for CERT Members to understand how local first responders are organized to respond in an emergency. As part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) responsibility to coordinate emergency response capability, they have developed what is called the National Incident Management System (NIMS). A key component of NIMS is the Incident Command System (ICS).

All emergency services agencies in the County of Ventura utilize the ICS, both in their individual responses and when they are working together.

FEMA offers a series of free on-line courses to help insure that NIMS and ICS are implemented uniformly throughout the Nation. These courses are part of their Independent Study Program. CERT Members are encouraged to avail themselves of these courses.

It is recommended that CERT Members start with the Introduction to Incident Command System - IS100.a course. Understanding ICS will greatly aid in organizing our CERT.







Return to Santa Rosa Valley Site


Page last revised on: October 19, 2008