CERT in Action!
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett
honors CERT members activated for the
Presidential Inauguration.
Montgomery County (MD) CERT Inauguration Response
Montgomery County, Maryland activated their CERT volunteers on January 20th as part of the National Capital Region 2009 Inauguration Response. The CERTs were activated by Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service to support emergency services and provide customer assistance at Metro rail transit stations in anticipation of over three million visitors attending the Inauguration in frigid cold temperatures. Under NIMS, the CERT members were integrated into the Metro Task Force working in and around the transit stations. The CERTs were assigned to five strategically identified Metro stations within the County. Prior to activation, the CERT members received supplemental training on evacuation, hypothermia,and accommodations for individuals with special needs.
Unique was the private partnership with the Strathmore Music Center, a commercial performance venue in the County. The Strathmore Center provided CERT HQ space with electrical power, television monitors, and working areas for mobile Internet and broadband connections for the team leaders. The CERT HQ was able to accommodate the command post, staging area, RACES station, and a comfort stop equipped with four changing rooms with showers and food service facilities. The HQ facility was immediately adjacent to a Metro station which was key to the mission for the CERT members during the Inauguration.
No major disruptions to the Inauguration occurred, but CERTs helped passengers with access, questions, and even finding "lost cars" when travelers got off at the wrong station. 47 CERT members provided 392 hours of service in support of the Inauguration. The Montgomery County Executive honored the CERT members at a special ceremony on February 12th.