Local Emergency Response Teams' Membership Grows

They don't have power of arrest and most likely they won't go into a burning building. They're not here to replace emergency first responders.

But when it comes to a disaster of any kind, the trained men and women of the Somers, Ellington and Vernon Community Emergency Response Teams will be there to assist in any manner possible.

"We're here to teach people how to be prepared and to assist first responders when their either overwhelmed or in need of assistance," Peter DeBrino, leader of the Somers CERT group said recently.

What started out with a handful of people a few years ago has grown to about 15 among the three towns.

On April 2, the group added several more to the ranks at a graduation ceremony held at the Hall Memorial Library in Ellington.

The group of volunteers has been trained to assist first responders, when requested, in a time of a disaster. Each member has completed a 20-hour class in basic first aid, how to use a fire extinguisher use and how to conduct a "light" search and rescue, among other things. 

DeBrino said the primary goal is to teach self-preparedness so that members can educate their families, friends and eventually the community on how to prevent or react to a disaster.

The concept was created by the Los Angeles City Fire Department in the 1980s after a significant earthquake riddled the area. Fire department members realized that there was a need for residents to know how to care for themselves and others in the time when emergency responders cannot reach their location.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security support CERT.

Recent incidents of note in the state when CERTs were called upon to help include the Kleen Energy Systems power plant explosion in Middletown in February 2010 and the mass H1N1 vaccine distribution in 2009.

Most recently, the state and a good part of the northeast followed the search, and eventual discovery, of a young Orange girl who had run away from home. Emergency responders, including police and fire personnel, searched the area looking for her. Who helped in the search? .

The Vernon, Ellington and Somers teams train together, but are individual organizations. However, if called, they are able to work together.

"We may never get called to an emergency and nearly everybody here hopes we never do, but we will be ready," DeBrino said.

For more information about CERT contact your town's emergency management department.