Mat-Su CERT Teams Expand With New Members

The Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, is a group of trained volunteers that can help in emergency situations, like the McKinley fire that hit the Upper Valley in 2019. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, oversees the program. 

Nearly 20 newly-trained CERT members will be working with teams in the Mat-Su. It’s unknown how many will join the Talkeetna and Trapper Creek teams. The training was held at the Upper Susitna Senior Center in November. 

Bill Was, Talkeetna CERT Team Lead, says that members regularly train beyond their initial training to stay proficient in providing basic medical assistance and emergency response.   

Was says CERT goes by the motto neighbors helping neighbors. The idea of the program is to provide assistance during a major disaster, such as an earthquake or wildfire, when emergency personnel might not be able to help everyone.

CERT can be deployed by the Mat-Su Borough, local fire departments, and Alaska Homeland Security, but are not self-deployed. He says CERT members can do primary care, but the program is designed to support firefighters and emergency medical professionals. The CERT teams can also help with crowd and traffic control, shuttling supplies, and direct support to those professionals. 

The initial trainings are 20 to 25 hours. Was says they hope to hold a certification training at least once per year.