While the pandemic has made it difficult for Wayland’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to train new members, Wayland CERT will hold new trainings this fall.
Last year, Wayland CERT participated in the town’s annual Fire Department Open House. Hosted by the department and the Wayland Firefighters Association, the event, which was located outdoors at the Stop & Shop Plaza on Route 20, was an opportunity for families to interact with fire trucks, try on gear, meet firefighters, and even try techniques for putting out fires.
Wayland CERT’s table provided an opportunity to inform members of the Wayland community on the organization’s activities. CERT, which operates under the direction of Wayland’s Emergency Management Director (Police Chief) and the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), is comprised of volunteer residents of Wayland who are willing to assist the town in the event of any emergency that requires additional backup resources. CERT’s main responsibility is to operate and staff the town’s emergency shelter, located at the Wayland Middle School, in the event of a disaster caused by blizzards, hurricanes, or other situations forcing people to leave their homes to seek shelter.
The event also served to connect CERT with prospective members. No special skills are required to join CERT. The standard FEMA training program offered covers such items as disaster preparedness, fire safety, disaster medical operations including CPR and first aid, light search and rescue operations, CERT organization, and terrorism. In practice, the CERT team is divided up into several sub-teams, including shelter, first aid, animal rescue and care, and general support. Once trained, members participate when available and to the extent of their comfort level.
Anyone interesting in becoming a member of Wayland CERT, participating in training this fall, and learning how to take care of themselves, their families and neighbors in the event of an emergency should contact Joseph Gordon, Wayland CERT Coordinator, via klinegordon1@gmail.com, or Doug Leard, LEPC Chairman, at DJL@emergencypreparedness4all.com.
