By Naomi Hatch The Snowflake-Taylor Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is looking for volunteers. Snowflake Fire Chief Pat Hancock and Taylor Fire Chief Clint Burden made a presentation at the March 13 meeting Community Values Committee (CVC), and expressed interest in having a representative from each church in the community, as well as the school district, become CERT volunteers. Currently there are five CERT volunteers and they would like to increase that number. Don Anderson, a Snowflake-Taylor Police Department volunteer with more than 30 years as a police officer, heads the CERT team in Snowflake-Taylor. Chief Hancock explained that CERT is an organization comprised of community members who have volunteered to partner with local government emergency management and response agencies. The primary funding comes from grants available through Congress and given to Citizen Corps Councils. Snowflake and Taylor are members of the Navajo County Citizen Corps Council and STPD Sgt. Alan DeWitt is chairman. The grant will pay for the training of CERT members, and it also paid for equipment for the local CERT volunteers. Emergencies or disasters can overwhelm the community’s immediate response capability, and it is predicted that emergency services will not be able to meet immediate needs following a major disaster such as an earthquake or major fire, especially if there has been no warning. Often state and federal assistance can be activated, but there may be a delay for local communities to receive assistance. “The primary reason for CERT training is to give people the decision making, organizational and practical skills to offer immediate assistance to family members, neighbors and associates while waiting for help,” according to information prepared by the fire chiefs. The CERT program is designed to help educate and train members about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact our area, and enables CERT members to assist in their neighborhood or workplace if there is an event. CERT members are also trained to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community. “CERT is about readiness; people helping people, rescuer safety and doing the greatest good for the greatest number. CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens will initially be on their own and their actions can make a difference,” states the CERT flyer. “This is an opportunity for the public to get involved,” said Chief Burden. For more information on becoming a CERT member, contact Chief Hancock at 536-7103, ext. 258, or Chief Burden at 536-7900.