Washington State To Receive Funds From Homeland Security To Train Citizens For Emergencies Through Community Emergency Response Team Program
Release Date: May 29, 2003
Release Number: R10-03-46
Seattle, WA -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, announced today that Washington State will receive $374,951 to train citizens to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities through local Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT). The grant is part of $19 million being made available to expand the CERT program throughout the country by the Department of Homeland Security.
"Homeland Security has provided more than $4 billion to state and local governments this year to support the efforts of first responders and help us secure the homeland," said Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. "These CERT grants are a great example of the use of funding to better prepare America's communities."
"Through the CERT program, citizens are better able to respond to an emergency or disaster," said Brown. "This is an essential way for citizens to help secure the homeland by supporting the work of our professional first responders."
Each CERT member completes 20 hours of training on disaster preparedness, basic disaster medical operations, fire safety, light search and rescue, and other essential topics. The training also includes a disaster simulation in which participants practice skills they learned throughout the course. In the event of an emergency, CERT members can provide immediate assistance to victims, assist in organizing spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site and provide critical support to first responders.
The grant money is in addition to $17 million distributed through the FY 2002 supplemental appropriation. FEMA distributes the funds for state and local level CERT programs to each state and territory according to the formula developed through the Patriot Act. Washington received $338,821 from a grant made last December as part of the FY02 program.
The CERT grants will allow states to fund new programs and to expand existing teams. FEMA has a goal of training 400,000 citizens through the CERT program during the next two years. Washington State already has the third highest number of CERT programs registered with FEMA, including: Everett, Ellensburg, Federal Way, Milton, Seattle, Vancouver, Greater Woodinville area, Kenmore area, Kent-Covington, Snohomish Fire District, Stanwood-Camano, Vashon-Maury Island; Clark, Cowlitz, Island, Jefferson, Pierce, Skagit, Spokane, Snohomish, Whatcom and Walla Walla Counties; Bellevue Community College and two Multi-jurisdictional consortia: Jefferson-Clallam Counties American Red Cross and Emergency Services Coordinating Agency (7 cities in Snohomish County). For more information on the CERT program, please visit www.fema.gov.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 03-Jun-2003 14:27:48