CERT in Action!
Mammoth Lakes, CA CERT Assists in Fire Rescue
Shortly after a forest fire broke out a few miles southeast of Mammoth Lakes, CA, on August 3, 2008, first responders estimated the fire to be approximately one acre in size. By the next morning, it had spread over an estimated 225 acres, prompting the activation of the Mammoth Lakes CERT. Team members first provided support at Mammoth Lakes High School, where an emergency shelter had been set up to care for more than 100 people evacuated from a nearby YMCA camp.
As the need for the CERT members at the shelter decreased, they were asked to provide support at the incident command center in the town’s offices. Eight to 10 Mammoth Lakes CERT members operated a bank of phones from morning until night for two days, answering calls from residents and tourists concerned about the fire’s threat to the town. “People were calling in from all over,” Mammoth Lakes CERT member Sharon Clark said. “We rotated shifts and answered phones for almost 12 hours each day.” While Mammoth Lakes CERT members provided important information to the public, firefighters worked to get the blaze under control. The coordinated response ensured the safety and well-being of everyone involved. By the morning of the third day, the Mammoth Lakes CERT was no longer needed.
For more information, please contact Harry White, mammothlakescert_pio@yahoo.com.