East Hampton is looking for a “few good people” to get more involved when emergencies happen. The recent storms in Connecticut and related loss of power in our community left many of us wondering what we could have done to help out our neighbors. Now we have an opportunity to prepare so that we will know how we can help.
Rich Klotzbier, East Hampton’s Emergency Management Director, is actively looking for volunteers to form a Citizen Emergency Response Team (CERT).
CERT volunteers are trained to provide local, immediate support to emergency responders during a disaster. They can perform duties such as shelter support, crowd control, and assistance in evacuations. They also help year-round with preparedness outreach, drills, and fire safety education.
CERT response was a critical piece of the Kleen Energy Plant Explosion as well as the Manchester shooting incident. There are currently active CERT teams in several nearby towns, including East Haddam, Portland and Middletown.
If you are interested in learning more about the CERT program, please call or email Rich. Klotzbier at 860-267-0088 or firemarshal@easthamptonct.org, and leave a message with your contact information. An informational meeting will be scheduled in the near future.
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