Citizen Corps Volunteers Deploy to Haiti

The stories over the past week have focused on the amazing response from the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Teams and how every day volunteers from Citizen Corps programs help the USAR teams prepare for deployment.

Did you know that local American Red Cross Volunteers also deployed this past week, to assist in disaster efforts in Haiti?

The following WSUA 9 Story briefly covers the American Red Cross Volunteers Deploy to Haiti.

CERT Trains with the Best of the Best

Our previous discussion was about CERT (Indirectly) Plays Role in Haiti as the CERT volunteeers were volunteer victims for multiple Urban Search and Rescue Exercises to help them prepare for responses like Haiti.

"Yes, that man in the stars and stripes headwrap is our very own CERT instructor Steve Willey. Steve is a structural engineer with Virginia Task force one. www.vatf1.org" (Source: Fairfax County CERT Blog).

This is just more proof that many of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) students train with the best of the best.

Thanks to Steve and all the Urban Search and Rescue Teams responding to this disaster. We wish you all safe returns and look forward to you sharing your experiences through future training sessions once you get settled back.

CERT (indirectly) Plays Role In Haiti Disaster Response

Neighbors Helping Neighbors thanks and wishes the Urban Search and Rescue Teams safe travels as they respond to the disaster in Haiti.

But where does the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) fit in?

Ever wonder where these teams train and where they find volunteer victims? Members of the local CERT, as pictured below, serve as volunteer victims, as these teams train for these types of emergencies.

Additional information can be found at: http://fairfaxcountycert.blogspot.com/2010/01/haitian-response.html

Other Citizen Corps programs, such as the American Red Cross, are also preparing to provide services for residents from Haiti as they arrive into the United States.