Page 10
The INDEPENDENT, September 1, 2005
What is CERT and why is it needed here?
Each year, some communi-
ties are rocked by severe
weather, such as floods, winter
storms, or by “man made” dis-
asters.
The damage caused by
such disasters affect every-
one,severely restrict and over-
whelm emergency response
resources, communications,
transportation and utilities,
leaving individuals and neigh-
borhoods cut off from outside
emergency support.
Because of Vernonia’s expe-
rience during the devastating
flood of 1996, emergency re-
sponse has continued to be a
local consideration. To develop
a more comprehensive ap-
proach to such a situation the
Community Emergency Re-
sponse Team (CERT) Program
was implemented.
So what does CERT do?
The program educates peo-
ple about disaster prepared-
ness for hazards that may im-
pact their area, and trains
them in basic disaster re-
sponse skills such as fire safe-
ty, light search and rescue,
team organization, and disas-
ter medical operations.
When emergencies happen,
CERT members can give criti-
cal support to first responders,
provide immediate assistance
to victims, and organize spon-
taneous volunteers at a disas-
ter site. CERT members can
also help with non-emergency
projects that help improve the
safety of the community.
CERT members also are en-
couraged to support emer-
gency response agencies by
taking a more active role in
emergency preparedness proj-
ects in their community.
CERT are trained to take
care of themselves, then help
others in their communities for
the first three days following a
disaster. This time period is
when debris-clogged or dam-
aged roads, disrupted commu-
nications, or high volume of
L
calls may prevent access by
emergency response person-
nel. The purpose of CERT
training is to provide citizens
with the basic skills required to
handle virtually all their own
needs, then to be able to re-
spond to their communities’
needs in the aftermath of a dis-
aster
Initially, CERT programs
were developed to assist com-
munities in taking care of them-
selves in the aftermath of a ma-
jor disaster when first respon-
ders are overwhelmed or un-
able to respond because of
communication or transporta-
tion difficulties. As the CERT
concept has taken hold across
the country, however, CERTs
have become much more than
originally envisioned. CERTs
have proven themselves to be
an active and vital part of their
communities’ preparedness
and response capability. For
example, CERTs have been
used to:
• Distribute and/or install
smoke alarms and batteries to
the elderly and disabled.
• Assist with evacuations
and traffic control.
•
Promote
community
awareness of potential hazards
and preparedness measures.
• Supplement staffing at spe-
cial events.
• Act as victims in training
exercises.
CERTs are an investment of
local government’s time and re-
sources. To capitalize on this
investment, program sponsors
can view CERT members as a
volunteer resource that can as-
sist with public safety activities.
Such an approach will actively
involve members in serving
their communities beyond dis-
aster response and add value
to the CERT program.
Vernonia CERT was created
to supplement the assistance
given by local emergency re-
sponse agencies. Vernonia
CERT is not a competing
e o n et t i’ s
P i z z a & G r il l
Back to School Special for Parents
Buy 1 Breakfast get 2nd* 1/2 price
* Equal or lesser value
721 Madison Ave., Vernonia • 503-429-5018
agency, but a support organiza-
tion with its own identity and in-
dependence.
Vernonia CERT is the local
chapter of the Citizen Corp’s
CERT program. For more detail
about the organization, see the
Emergency Management Insti-
tute’s website <http://training.
fema.gov/EMIWeb/CERT/>.
Vernonia CERT is seeking
people who wish to take CERT
training. For more information
about CERT training, contact
any of the following:
Chief Matt Workman, Vernon-
ia Police Dept., 503-429-7335,
<chief@vernonia-or.gov>; Chief
Paul Epler, Vernonia Rural Fire
District, 503-429-8252, <paul
_epler@hotmail. com>; Mike
Orth, Training Coordinator, Ver-
nonia CERT, 503-429-3018,
<VernoniaCert@gmail. com>.
Vernonia Society and “Old Grads” enjoy the annual picnic
held each year in August. See page 7 for more information.
Public comment on fish status invited
The results of the first
statewide assessment of native
fish populations in 10 years are
now available for public com-
ment, the Oregon Department
of Fish and Wildlife announced
today. The Oregon Native Fish
Status Report will be used to
help fish and wildlife managers
identify priorities for developing
conservation plans for at-risk
native fish populations through-
out the state.
The draft report, which is
available for a 60-day public re-
view on ODFW’s Web site,
identifies and prioritizes areas
where added protections may
be necessary to conserve fish
populations,
noted
Kevin
Goodson, ODFW conservation
planning coordinator.
“ODFW staff and other re-
searchers began conducting
the assessments in January
2004,” said Goodson. “Biolo-
gists surveyed 69 different
species management units, us-
ing the new Native Fish Con-
servation Policy criteria. This is
the first time the new criteria
have been used, and this pro-
vides an important consistent,
science-based approach for
evaluating where and how to
prioritize resources to help re-
store and maintain healthy na-
tive fish populations throughout
Oregon.”
The assessment provides a
general overview of the recent
health of the fish populations
studied, noted Goodson, and is
not intended to provide detailed
information.
“This review is similar to a
50,000-foot fly-over that is in-
tended to catch the urgent
problems and provide a snap-
shot of how the fish are doing,”
said Goodson. “It sets the
stage for the detailed work that
will need to follow.”
Biologists assessed the sta-
tus of all of the salmon and
steelhead and most of the trout
populations in the state, as well
as sturgeon, some lamprey,
and a few dace and chub
species listed under the Endan-
gered Species Act. The as-
sessment methods used in the
report will be reviewed by the
Independent Multi-disciplinary
Science Team, the science ad-
visory committee for the Ore-
gon Plan for Salmon and Wa-
tersheds.
Of the 69 groups of fish pop-
ulations assessed, called
Species Management Units
(SMUs), nine SMUs were de-
termined to be extinct, 34 were
assessed as “at risk,” 14 were
classified as “potentially at
risk,” and 12 were assessed as
“not at risk.” The term “risk”
refers to whether the SMU can
be sustained until a conserva-
tion plan is developed and im-
plemented. The level of risk will
determine the priority in which
monitoring strategies and con-
servation plans are developed.
The study was funded
through a grant from the Ore-
gon Watershed Enhancement
Board (OWEB). ODFW staff
were assisted in the assess-
ments by S.P. Cramer and As-
sociates, a fisheries consulting
firm. The last such assessment
was conducted in 1995. The
2005 report can be found on-
line at <http://www.dfw.state.o
r.us/fish/ONFSR/index.asp>.
Public comments on the
draft report will be accepted
through Oct. 24. Comments
should be sent to <kevin.w.g
oodson@state.or.us> or mailed
to him at 3406 Cherry Avenue
NE, Salem, OR 97303-4924. A
CD of the report can be re-
quested from Casaria Tuttle at
<casaria.r.tuttle@state.or.us>
or 503-947-6230.
Air Show will
honor all those
who serve
The Air Show at Hillsboro
Airport will be September 9 -11
this year. The Sunday Airshow
will honor heroes; all Military,
Police, Fire and EMS active
personnel and veterans will
only need proper I.D. for their
area of service to get free ad-
mission into the General Ad-
mission area. Sunday will fea-
ture a special parade honoring
our country’s heroes, recogniz-
ing our veterans or war and re-
membering our fallen soldiers
and their families.
For complete information,
go to <www.oregonairshow.c
om>.