Helplessness.
That was one of the feelings expressed by so many during their days in the dark after hurricane Sandy struck last year.
People wanted answers, they wanted to feel useful and they wanted to help. Joining the Morristown Community Emergency Response Team is a way to scratch that itch.
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In order to become a CERT volunteer, residents must first go through the training program and the next session is Oct. 25, 26 and 27 at Morristown Town Hall.
The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.
Find out what's happening in Morristownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Oct. 25 class will be from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. Oct. 26 and 27 classes will be from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. All three sessions must be attended. The next training will be in 2014 (possibly in the Spring or early Summer).
If you are interested in becoming a CERT volunteer please take this short survey.
The survey will allow organizers to gauge the class size and prepare accordingly.
CERT falls under the umbrella of OEM (Office of Emergency Management) and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
The Morristown CERT team covers that geographical area of Morristown and Morris Township but volunteers do not necessarily need to live within the city limits. If you live in a neighboring town you can also search the national CERT database for a team that may be closer to you.
The Morristown CERT team meets monthly on the second Thursday evening of each month. We also have regular training exercises which range from CPR/First-Aid, Red Cross shelter drills, Fire Prevention, etc. So even if you have no experience with these topics, you will gain that knowledge over time with CERT.
Those with questions can e-mail the Morristown CERT team at cert@townofmorristown.org.
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