Neighbors Helping Neighbors Provide Support To Local CERT Program

The following was submitted to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

Fairfax County CERT and the professional instructors are the best of the best and provide a world class program. There is no other program in the nation that provides such hands-on expertise with instructors with extensive background. Where else can you find a CERT instructor who responded to Katrina, Pentagon, or World Trade Center? Where else can you find a CERT instructor who is on the Urban Search and Rescue Team and deploys to worldwide disasters? Our citizens deserve the knowledge of these experts who live in our community. Many of us do not have the time to be volunteer fireman, but do have the time to take the CERT training and give back as volunteer instructors and outreach. What other CERT program has been on a National Food Show? Ourprogram has the CERT instructor who was featured to thank for that. Not only should you keep the MA2 position, in times when you need to cut other areas, Fairfax County should be considering expanding the program. Fairfax County CERT expanded the program this past year under the leadership of these three instructors who came up with CERT Basic, 2, 3. This gives more access to CERT program to people in other parts of the county and does not cost the county a dime. Please think again about cutting the CERT program. Losing our MA2 would be a deep loss to Fairfax County. Not only do you need to think about the position, but also the people behind it. The people who have made a difference in our lives.