Inaugural Class Graduates from CERT Training Course

L to R: CERT Coordinator Jessica Jackson, Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Nicky Kelly; Fire Chief Alan B. Benson; Judge Alan B. Sadler; and Vice Chairman of The Woodlands Township Lloyd Matthews, along with 35 graduating volunteer trainees from the inaugural CERT training course; and CERT Facilitator Rachel Mitchell (far right), at The Woodlands Emergency Training Center.

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- The Woodlands Fire Department and the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management recognized the graduation of 35 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members on Tuesday, June 30, 2009, at The Woodlands Emergency Training Center. The CERT class members participated in a disaster simulation exercise to practice and test their newly-acquired skills, followed by a graduation ceremony.

Offered through the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management and The Woodlands Fire Department, CERT prepares participants to help themselves, their families and their neighbors in the event of a disaster. During an incident, emergency services personnel may not be able to reach everyone right away. CERT members will have the skills to help emergency responders save lives and protect property. They can also assist with non-emergency projects to help improve the safety of the community.

The Woodlands Township Vice Chairman Lloyd Matthews spoke at the event, praising the graduates for their dedication to community preparedness by taking the CERT training. “It’s extremely important to the community that individuals like you have accepted this challenge,” he said.

CERT class members completed an eight-week program of classroom and hands-on training on such topics as Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Medical Operations, Light Search and Rescue, and Disaster Psychology. They have also learned organization and teamwork so that they can “Prepare, Respond and Recover” in any natural disaster or other emergency event.

The Woodlands Fire Chief Alan B. Benson stressed the self-initiating nature of the CERT program. “What happens after this night?” he asked the graduates. “It’s my vision that we form groups within each village: teams with team captains who have the mechanism to get together and truly make a difference when we have a community emergency.”

Montgomery County Judge Alan B. Sadler expressed his congratulations and thanks to the CERT volunteers. Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Nicky Kelly from the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management also participated in the event, which was coordinated by Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management CERT Coordinator Jessica Jackson, Homeland Security Planning Coordinator Summer Scheel and The Woodlands Fire Department CERT Facilitator Rachel Mitchell.

The next CERT class begins August 4, with another class scheduled for fall. Both classes are currently full, but the Fire Department will continue to take names for waiting lists. To sign up, or for more information, please call The Woodlands Fire Department CERT Facilitator Rachel Mitchell at 281 367-3444.