Disasters and emergencies can strike our community at any time, and local citizens can play a vital role in supporting police, fire, rescue and other emergency responders. We have been reminded of this during the 2008 ice storm and Tropical Storms Irene and Lee in 2011. In the midst of that emergency, an outpouring of selflessness and a willingness to help each other spread throughout our community. CERT volunteers established a shelter and staffed the facility. Dozens of volunteers maintained generators to power traffic signals at crucial town intersections and manned phones at town hall to keep the public informed. Others contacted our special needs residents through the town’s R.U.OK program. It was that spirit – neighbors helping neighbors – that helped Clifton Park emerge from the storm as an even better community than before. To help keep that spirit alive, I invite you to take an active role in making Clifton Park a safer, stronger and better prepared community by joining the town’s Community Emergency Response Team. Citizen Corps and CERT provide basic education and training to residents to ensure that they learn how to make their families, their homes and their communities safer from the threats of emergencies, terrorism and local disasters. Working together, we can ensure our well-being and continued liberty. I hope that you will consider joining CERT or any other community volunteer group.

 Helpful Resources

• CERT Registration Form pdf
  (125 KB)
• R U OK Brochure pdf
  (204 KB)
• R U OK Application
  
• pdf Sample Business Plan (328 KB)
• pdf Supply Kit Information (757 KB)

CERT & Citizen Corps Mission

To provide a platform from which to empower local citizens to better prepare for and respond to, emergency situations through education, training, and volunteering. And create opportunities for local citizens to contribute in assisting their neighbors and supporting their community against threats of terrorism, public health issues, natural disasters and crime.

FEMA & Emergency Readiness Updates

- 2013 Keeping Your Family Safe During a Disaster – Free Disaster Preparedness Mobile Apps and Resources Today’s technology makes it even easier to stay prepared before, during and after a disaster or emergency event. Download these apps and resources today to ensure you stay prepared during the next emergency or disaster event!

• Download the FEMA App to access disaster preparedness tips, build a personal emergency kit and look for open Disaster Recovery Centers along with open shelters (if you’re a disaster survivor).
• Local emergency management officials often have notification systems. Opt-In to a distribution for your community. To find out if your community offers such services, contact your local office of Emergency Management.
• Signup to receive a monthly preparedness tip from FEMA’s text messages program.
• On your cellphone? Bookmark important mobile sites:
  • American Red Cross: www.redcross.org/mobile
  • Center for Diseases Control: m.cdc.gov
  • FEMA/Ready: m.fema.gov
  • National Hurricane Center: www.nhc.noaa.gov/mobile
• Follow FEMA and Ready on line:
  • FEMA Blog

- Preparedness Planning and Taking Action

Being informed of your local hazards and how to respond to them is the first step in becoming more prepared. Making a plan, building a kit and getting involved are further actions to take to strengthen your family’s resilience to any disaster or emergency event.

Be Informed: Learn about potential emergencies which may occur in your local community and the ways to respond to each. Do you live near a flood plain, an earthquake fault line or in a high fire danger area? Does your neighborhood or community have a disaster plan? Being aware of your area’s disaster risk and how to prepare and respond to it will increase your likelihood of staying safe.

Make a Plan: Learn how to create a Family Emergency Plan in case you and your loved ones are not together during a disaster or become separated during an emergency event.

Build a Kit: Review information about basic emergency kits and how to personalize them with required medications, an emergency medical contact card, first aid supplies, extra food, water, etc. A checklist for items to consider as part of this basic kit is also available.

Get Involved: Whether at work or at home, learn how you can be a part of a volunteer network before, during and after any disaster event by contacting your local Citizen Corps Council or signing up to receive preparedness training and becoming a part of your local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Training is a great way to get involved – take part in FEMA’s FREE online training course: IS-909 – Community Preparedness: Implementing Simple Activities for Everyone or complete the Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) online training course, VIPS and Disaster Response, which explores how volunteers can help build law enforcement’s capacity to respond to natural disasters, public health crises and other emergencies.

Remember, preparedness is a shared responsibility and Ready.gov has activities for everyone! Do your part to make your family and community safer and more resilient.

- Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams DHS -FEMA Updates National Preparedness Month is supported by a coalition of public, private and non-profit organizations working to help spread the preparedness message. The National Preparedness Coalition is the nation’s largest public online forum organized to improve our nation’s resilience against all-hazards. It is comprised of individuals engaged in preparedness – and those who want to be engaged in preparedness – who are committed to strengthening, sustaining and enhancing the resilience of their communities. To become an NPM Coalition Member and find preparedness events that may be taking place near you, visit: https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app. Get started today!

Get Prepared for “All hazards”

 Emergency Supply Kit Information

 Business Emergency Plan

Get Ready – Make A Plan 

• Safe and Well – American Red Cross site to locate missing family/friends and to allow individuals to report that they are safe.
• Your Local Weather Forecast
• Tornado and Severe Storm Safety Tips

Informative Videos
Message from FEMA for Citizens How to Assemble a Disaster Preparedness Kit

Future Plans

• Conduct and document Community Assets Resource listings, complied jointly by the Town Fire Prevention Bureau and Planning Dept. GIS to map and identify potential Hazardous Materials locations.
• Identifying sponsors for: National Night Out, Free Vial Of Life packets.
• Develop protocols and contacts for alternative sheltering of pets during disasters.
• Organize an Emergency Services Open House/Tour day event in the Spring

Interested? Contact us to volunteer with the Council or join our CERT Team today. Emergency Management Institute’s Introduction to CERT Self Study Class