|
|
     
Involvement leads to commitment |
CERT RecognitionAs events from Katrina unfold in early September 2005 we are reminded how powerful Mother Nature is. How sudden, how cruel and how inconsequential man is when nature takes over. We also see how unprepared most people are when a disaster occurs. Simple steps taken to prepare can mean the difference between life or death. Our CERT Fresno guiding philosophy of considering the human aspects of a disaster as a break-down of the Social System is classically displayed in Katrina's aftermath. The CERT Fresno Instructor team has had tremendous impact on residents in Central California. While in our classes we teach possible threats to Central California, in our minds we probably don't really expect a disaster to occur here. So, if it won't happen here, perhaps we can help elsewhere. And six CERT graduates have chosen to serve through the American Red Cross Katrina's response. They in turn are now helping so many victims - now survivors - to recover, to adapt to the New Normal. The CERT Fresno leadership of Carla, Justin, Bill, Ken, Kevin, John, Ali, and that duo Gwen and Glen are to be thanked for being Patriots - they have truly given of themselves to others. THANK YOU! As the anniversary of September 11, 2001 approaches we think of "We Will Never Forget" ....and haven't. - ED We've passed the half-way point in our CERT Year. Our volunteer CERT instructors Gwen, Glen, Bill, Ken, Ali and Kevin have contributed mightily to the success of our program - we can say Thank You every day and it will be never enough! We also thank our leader Carla for giving us all "the rope" we need. The year 2005 is upon us and 2004 is history. The CERT Instructors have pulled off a banner year. Our purpose and direction remain focused on preparing Central California residents to cope with disaster and to create a cadre of trained volunteers capable of responding in major emergency or disaster. As an all-volunteer activity, our instructors are really the cream of the crop. They are highly motivated and work ever harder for the sheer satisfaction that each time we present the series it just gets better and better! Gwen and Glen, Larry, Ken, Bill, Kevin, John and Carla are to be recognized for just how great they are! We were tested to some extent January 7th, 2005 when a CERT call-out was made and those who responded proved their mettle. Thank You! Here are Gwen and Glen - TeamWork!
In our Fifth training cycle Gwen kicked off Unit one with a bang. Kevin delivered Unit two with assistance from John (he is feeling better after a wicked bout with a sinus/respiratory infection). The evaluations were outstanding - thanks! The trek to Dunlap January 10, 17 and 18,2004 to deliver training in the foothills east of Fresno saw some outstanding contributions by Glen, Kenneth, Bill and Ali. Bill delivered his session that broke-up the trainees - maybe Bill should be a stand-up comedian - well anything to get the material across I say. Murph (and wife Marilynn) got up from their sick-bed (missing their church services) delivering training while suffering from a serious cold. Glen ("Torch" to some) had the Dunlap Volunteer Fire Fighters on edge as his flare dripped fire in the vicinity of the small propane tank used for Fire Suppression. Ali's kids had to undergo CERT training delivered by their "Father" (but they were secretly very proud of him - you know kids). AMERICORPS training was so very successful. Murph, Kevin, Gwen, Bill and Glen were outstanding. The call from Bill telling us he was up in Dunlap proved to be an interesting call. We might nick-name him Wrong-way Bill since the training was underway down in Fresno! CERT Trainees receiving our training are motivated to participate at several levels, but what they most want is an EXPERIENCE. To come as close as possible to actually experiencing what it would be like to operate in a disaster. Our CERT Instructors are notable in helping to deliver that CERT Experience. CERT Fresno has now become a state-wide model for delivering and running CERT Training through the use of volunteers - Congratulations! Our second class graduated in October thanks to Ali, Glen, Gwen, John, Murph, Ken, Kevin and Joel (Carla too)! Larry Murphy has joined our all-volunteer Instructor Team. Murph as he is called brings 30 years of class room teaching plus extensive training experience in emergency first-aid. The second class graduated October 28th. Once again the overall evaluations were simply outstanding. This all-volunteer CERT Instructor group has the magic touch - Thank YOU! Bill Allen, Ken Bangs, Gwen Blomgren, Glen Blomgren, Ali Umar, with assistance from Joel Hauser helped deliver the very first CERT training here in Fresno, September 6th through September 20th. The student evaluations were EXCELLENT - Thanks for making this first offering such a success! We're asking CERT Instructors to complete an on-line Volunteer E-Mail Time Sheet on the Documents page so that we can reflect the contribution CERT makes to the community as well as individual recognition. The form is a server based form and does have some delay in submission, when you receive a confirmation page you know your time has been successfully submitted to Carla. Glen Blomgren delivered the first CERT-Lite to his Lions Service Club. CERT-Lite is a public relations PowerPoint overview targeted at community groups. We hope to spread the word to community groups by delivering CERT-Lite. Thanks to Gwen Blomgren for assisting in the CERT Program presentation on June 26th at the Clovis LDS Church. Mary Banigan has created a mock-up of a CERT Newsletter and she assisted Carla in analyzing the IG and PM materials for possible revision. Mary also helped in this web-site development. Jamie and Jerry Slater really worked hard in revising and localizing the Medical I and Medical II PowerPoint's - and then FEMA in late May 2003 issued an almost new set of PowerPoint's - that's our government in action - but we thank Jamie and Jerry for their dedication. |
|
Copyright 2003-2005 Fresno Citizen Corps. CERT Fresno funded in part by FEMA
through California Service Corps.
|
