CERT February 2019

A big thank-you to everyone who attend our February 2019 CERT meeting! Our guest speaker was Cheryl Leonard, discussing CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management). Here is a copy of the class handout.

We also reviewed CERT application procedures, the CERT vest ordering website, upcoming training and meetings, personal awareness color codes, and two great learning opportunities: Tree Cleanup and Chainsaw Safety for Disaster Relief, and the RARSFest convention for amateur radio operators. Click here for the presentation containing all this information and more.

Future CERT emergency notifications will come through the Chatham County ALERT CHATHAM notification system to all interested CERT participants. After the initial alert, additional information will be available on our website for reporting instructions, signup rosters, and other items.

We also will start using Zello, a walkie-talkie application for cell phones. Zello allows group conversations in austere environments, because it can communicate with weak cell phone signals or over wireless internet. Find out more about Zello and how to connect to the Chatham CERT Zello group with this set of instructions.

Reindeer Run 2018

Chatham CERT supported the 2018 Reindeer Run in December 2018 with radio communications and other support to the event.

We received a very nice certificate of appreciation from the event organizers. The 2019 Reindeer Run is scheduled for December 7, 2019 and we are looking forward to supporting the event again.

Reindeer Run 2018

Newsletter January 2019

Run-Hide-Fight!

Chatham County CERT will meet on January 23, 2019 at at 6:30 for our monthly meeting. As always, everyone is invited to attend.

This month our meeting is, by popular request, a presentation on what to do if one is near an active shooter event. The Chatham County Sheriff’s office is presenting Run-Hide-Fight, which is the current training response scenario. Continue reading Newsletter January 2019

Newsletter November 2018

Chatham CERT November 2018

First was Florence, then Michael, and now the National Weather Service is predicting normally-cold temperatures and a wetter than normal winter for our area. Are you ready?


November CERT Meeting

This month’s CERT meeting is on November 28 at 6:30 PM at the Emergency Operations Center, 297 West Street, Pittsboro. Our class this month will focus on what we all need to do to be prepared for emergencies in winter weather: local experts will present short classes on winter weather preparedness, winter driving skills, home security when we are on vacation, cold-weather injuries, influenza, and small and large animal winter health. Continue reading Newsletter November 2018

Newsletter October 2018

October meeting

Hemorrhage Control

Chatham CERT October 2018

Hurricane Florence was the first real test of CERT in Chatham County. Thanks to everyone who prepared their families and neighborhoods, and a particular thank you to every CERT and others who volunteered their time to support the Emergency Operations Center in Pittsboro, who helped set up and take down shelters, who moved emergency supplies, and who worked at the North Carolina shelter in Orange County. Great Job! Continue reading Newsletter October 2018

Newsletter September 2018

CERT September meeting – Communications

First, Hurricane Florence

After a quiet summer, the 2018 tropical storm system is heating up. Florence looks to be headed our way, which could mean high winds and lots of rain. Combined those spell power outages, transportation interruptions, and school closings. As a CERT you have started to prepare your families for bad weather. Here is a checklist you can share with others who are just now thinking about how to get ready: https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/prepare/ready.php. Continue reading Newsletter September 2018

Newsletter July 2018

July CERT Meeting

The July 2018 meeting of Chatham CERT is on July 25 at 18:30 (6:30 PM) in the Chatham County Emergency Operations Center, 297 West St, Pittsboro. After our regular meeting, this months’ class is ‘What Happens When My GPS Doesn’t Work, or How I Learned to Love My Paper Maps’. We will discuss topics on map coordinates, map reading, and land navigation, all of which are essential for CERT support to many operational mission scenarios including search and rescue. Everyone, CERT members or not, are invited to participate at no cost. Continue reading Newsletter July 2018