Emergency Preparedness

Citizen Volunteer Projects

Project Overview

Franklin County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) are volunteer programs of the federal initiative Citizen Corps. Both CERT and MRC aim to provide critical support to first responders to cover surge capacity needs during critical incidents and to help with non-emergency projects that help improve the health and safety of the community. Franklin County has both an active CERT and MRC. Community volunteers with a varied menu of general and specialized skills make up the Franklin County CERT. Franklin County residents with experience and expertise in health care and related professions with specialized clinical skills make up the Franklin County MRC.

Current Activities

Seventy-five active Franklin County CERT volunteers have completed the 24-hour Federal Emergency Management Agency CERT curriculum, CPR/AED and First Aid training. In addition to serving as shelter staff under direction of Greenfield first responders during the Columbus Day weekend flooding, Franklin County CERT volunteers have served as staff testing activation of the VT Yankee Reception Center sited at Greenfield Community College, and have provided assurance of safety (parking assistance, monitoring) at fairs, road races, and other community events. Following recruitment efforts in fall 2005, about 70 MRC applications were submitted. These MRC applicants are actively meeting core training requirements, and a number are also participating in a planning group to develop teams based on skills and interests of applicants. Both CERT and MRC volunteers assisted the recent Emergency Dispensing Site exercise hosted in the Town of Ashfield, and an exercise of the Region's Hazardous Materials Emergency Plan in the Town of Shelburne.

Future Plans

The volunteers who are a part of the Franklin County CERT and MRC offer a tremendous asset to the communities in our region. The groups are organized in a team structure to work within the Incident Command System (INS), and single or multiple volunteers can be called up for service for large and small community health initiatives, community events and preparedness exercises organized and led by local officials. Integration of CERT and MRC teams volunteers into local response exercises and non-emergency activities will continue in the coming year.

Links

Learn more at the MRC website.

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