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Hazelwood Parks Staff, Residents Receive Emergency Response Team Training
Hazelwood Parks and Recreation Department staff members and several residents participated in Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training recently. The program was conducted by American Red Cross instructors and held at Hazelwood Civic Center East.
Two shelter operations courses were conducted in order to provide instructive orientation to the activities and duties of shelter workers in an emergency shelter operation.
“As a result of going through this pre-incident training and reading the orientation materials, everyone has a better understanding of the job functions required for operating an efficient disaster shelter,” said Hazelwood Deputy Fire Marshal John Otte.
“After the floods hit Hazelwood and other St. Louis County municipalities last September, a consensus of opinion formed among local emergency management officials that we need to learn more about shelter operations,” said Otte.
This most recent program was specifically set up for CERT members representing Hazelwood, Florissant, and other surrounding areas.
Those who participated in the workshops are now able to perform the following tasks:
o Identify what client services are involved in operating a shelter
o Describe the roles and responsibilities of each shelter operation position
o Describe important shelter resident information
o Assume responsibility for each shelter function
o Know which shelter supplies are needed for inventory.
CERT members are trained to take care of themselves and then help others in their communities for the first three days following a disaster. This is when damaged or blocked roadways, as well as disruptions in telephone services and other communication mediums may prevent an immediate response by emergency services.
The Hazelwood Emergency Management Agency currently has 48 active CERT members who are residents, but a community the size of Hazelwood needs more volunteers. CERT members are trained to take care of themselves and then help others in their communities for the first three days following a disaster.
Hazelwood residents interested in joining CERT should call John Otte at 314-731-3424 or by email at jeotte@hazelwoodmo.org.
