CERT in Action!
DeBary, FL Volunteers Help Residents Weather Fay
City of DeBary Safety Coordinator Alan Williamson’s lasting image of Tropical Storm Fay is a common one: all the water. For six days beginning August 18, 2008, Fay zigzagged across Florida, leaving devastation, death, and, yes, lots of water in its wake. The residential community of DeBary wasn’t spared the effects of the storm, but thanks to the efforts of 22 CERT volunteers – one for every inch of rain that fell on the city – the damage was minimized.
After the storm caused pockets of residential flooding, Williamson activated CERT members to work with organizations such as the American Red Cross and FEMA to protect lives and property. CERT volunteers assisted in a variety of tasks, including traffic control, filling sandbags, delivering supplies to elderly residents and emergency responders, and staffing city phones. DeBary’s CERT, which contributed more than 200 hours, also documented damage, relayed important safety information to residents, and maintained security around affected areas. During the debriefing that followed, CERT members said that they felt better prepared to take care of themselves and their families during a disaster. “Being able to volunteer and help others showed that their training is effective and worthwhile,” Williamson said.
The flooding eventually dissipated, but the DeBary CERT’s contributions will not soon be forgotten. “The value of trained and motivated CERT members is a true blessing and cannot be measured,” Williamson said.
For more information, please contact Alan Williamson, awilliamson@debary.org.