ABOUT US | NEW MILFORD CERT

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WHAT IS NEW MILFORD CERT?

CERT is a part of The Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. We are a national organization of trained volunteers who are prepared to respond to emergency and non-emergency situations.

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OUR MISSION STATEMENT

To provide support to the town during emergencies and planned events, assist first responders and disseminate disaster preparedness information to the community.

OUR STORY

The Los Angeles Fire Department started CERT teams in 1985. CERT has then become a national program of trained citizens to perform a greater variety of tasks to support their communities.

The New Milford CERT team consists of 44 members and is one of the most active CERT teams in Connecticut.

CHIEF

VALERIE TRUESDELL

 

After the confusion and chaos caused by an emergency situation comes complete clarity when Chief Val arrives. When she is the incident commander, nothing seems to be in question. Chief Val is confident and kind as she delegates the work to be performed with calm under pressure. She is relentless regarding accountability and learning from each training and activation to optimize our team’s efforts. She is an integral part of the New Milford CERT team with a relentless pursuit to provide us the proper training and guidance for success.

 

  •  chief@NewMilfordCERT.org
  •  (860) 671-0490

Why are you a CERT member?

A few years after 9/11, I saw a free class that was being held on disaster preparedness. The class offered to help make you and your family safer when faced with a broad range of emergencies. Who could say no to that kind of information? So I signed up and in the first class I discovered that there was an organization of trained volunteers called CERT that used preparedness and response skills for the benefit of the whole community. What a fantastic way to help others while keeping my family safer at the same time! I joined the CERT team in 2006 and have been an active member in the dynamic group ever since.

- Chief Valerie Truesdell

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.

 

CERT became a national program in 1993. There are now CERT programs in all 50 states, including many tribal nations and U.S. territories. Each is unique to its community and all are essential to building a Culture of Preparedness in the United States. There are over 2,700 local CERT programs nationwide and more than 600,000 people have trained since CERT became a national program.

 

– ready.gov

Are you interested in becoming a New Milford CERT team member? CONTACT US