News from the Somerset County Board of County Commissioners
Shanel Y. Robinson, Commissioner Director Ÿ Melonie Marano, Commissioner Deputy Director
Sara Sooy, Commissioner Ÿ Paul Drake, Commissioner Ÿ Doug Singleterry, Commissioner
For Immediate Release
November 9, 2022
Contact Nathan Rudy at (908) 635-8401 for more information.
Somerset County CERT Volunteers Complete Basic Training
CERT Members Are Vital to Local Disaster Response
SOMERVILLE, NJ – Somerset County’s Office of Emergency Management graduated eight local residents from their Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Basic Training program. These volunteers spent twenty-six hours over seven days learning how to support their community and first-responders when disasters strike through a coordinated, team effort at the municipal or county level.
“Somerset County has experienced serious disasters over the past few decades, from apartment fires to COVID to deadly flooding,” said Commissioner Doug Singleterry, liaison to the Office of Emergency Management. “These men and women give up so much of their time and effort to ensure that their hometowns and neighbors are prepared for the next disaster, and we all owe them our gratitude and thanks.”
October’s CERT class included residents of Bound Brook, Franklin (Somerset), Hillsborough, Montgomery, and Peapack & Gladstone. Following their full week of training in Disaster Preparedness, CERT Organization, Light Search and Rescue, Disaster Psychology, Terrorism, Fire Safety, Medical Operations and Sheltering Operations each participant must complete a written exam and practical exercise to graduate.
Local CERT programs train and organize teams of volunteers to assist their families, neighbors, co-workers and other community members during emergencies when professional responders may not be immediately available to provide assistance.
Before, during, and after disasters, CERT volunteer teams perform basic response activities, including checking in on neighbors, distribution of information to the public, supporting emergency operations centers, and helping to manage traffic and crowds. The deployment of CERT volunteers to perform these activities frees up professional responders to focus efforts on more complex, essential, and often life-saving tasks. CERT volunteers also support their communities by organizing, promoting, and participating in emergency preparedness events, activities, and projects.
There is currently another CERT Basic Training Class being conducted in November, and more will be scheduled in the future. For more information regarding the CERT program, please utilize the following link – https://www.co.somerset.nj.us/government/public-health-safety/emergency-management/cert-volunteers
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