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.

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.

Virginia Cabinet Community Day - VA Task Force 1 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR)