The East Lansing Police and Fire departments are starting a Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, for volunteers from East Lansing to assist first responders in emergency situations.
East Lansing police Capt. Kim Johnson said the CERT program began on the West Coast in the 1980s and has been growing in popularity across the nation for the past 25 years.
The Lansing and MSU Police departments have had CERT programs for several years, Johnson said.
“We wanted to start our own to supplement the others in the tri-county area,” he said. “Once you train — even if you train on campus or in Lansing — you can join (the East Lansing program). The training is the same everywhere.”
Because of the standardized training, CERT volunteers from different police departments can work together, said MSU police Lt. Sue Busnardo, a former instructor for the MSU Campus CERT program.
The MSU Campus CERT often works with the Lansing CERT for events on campus and in the city, Busnardo said.
“(CERT programs) are designed initially to respond to emergency, but they have helped us in events this year,” she said. “They helped with football games; they have also helped in Lansing for Silver Bells (in the City) and for the Riverfest.”
The CERT training teaches volunteers how to handle themselves and others in emergency situations, East Lansing Fire Marshal Bob Pratt said.
The training covers — among other topics — terrorism, disaster psychology and light search and rescue situations.
After going through training, volunteers can assist others in times of emergency when police officers and firefighters are not available, Pratt said.
“They wouldn’t help out with a fire if we have one,” he said.
“If something like a flood emergency occurred and all our people are tied up, we want the CERT people in the community to be able to go and help. … They need to be in that 10, 15, 20 percent (of people) that is in charge and knows how to handle themselves in emergency situations.”
Pratt said it is undetermined as to how volunteers will be contacted in times of emergency, but they are looking into several options, such as a pager system or using social media websites, such as Twitter.
Along with being trained to handle natural disasters and other emergencies, Johnson said he also wants CERT volunteers to assist in other ways across the city.
“They will be extra eyes and ears and extra set of hands,” he said.
“We hope to use our CERT volunteers for other events, to be ambassadors for our city by giving directions and helping visitors.”
The sign-up period for the first training session goes until Feb. 15 and the training will start at the beginning of March, Johnson said.
The training is not limited to people looking to volunteer, Campus CERT Program Director Phil Schertzing said.
The information and skill provided by the CERT training is beneficial to all members of the community, Schertzing said.
“They don’t make people into cops and firefighters,” he said.
“It’s very basic training. It gives you the skills to protect your family before the cavalry arrives.”
Applications for training are available online at cityofeastlansing.com and at the East Lansing City Hall, 410 Abbot Road.
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