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	TENDERFOOT WITH TROOP 24 IN NORTON, MA Lorie Juliano, Norton Emergency Management Agency Brad McKeen is a Tenderfoot with Troop 24 in Norton, MA and is taking the CERT class offered by Norton Emergency Management (NEMA) for a merit badge. Brad, who at 13 is the youngest CERT class member in Norton, when asked why he is taking the class says "This is a great way to learn how to help others in the community and by coming here myself may help get other Scouts here for the next session."
The instruction for this regional training, which began in March, has been coordinated by NEMA team members George Pereira and Ray Cord who have both completed the train the trainer class for the nationwide CERT program. The classes were held weekly in the Community Room at the Norton Public Library from 7-9PM and have been very well attended. More importantly, the classes have provided a great reason to gain local media attention for NEMA and CERT's efforts. The classes provide a weekly photo opportunity to caption and send out to the local newspapers - of members of the community learning to make a difference. This CERT program, the second offered in recent years in Norton, has met with great success - especially from the increase in local awareness of the mission of Norton Emergency Management Agency.
"I was a Deputy Director of Civil Defense for the Town of Stoughton, MA some 25 years ago and during that time I would conduct mock disaster drills with the Boy scouts in the town. We would do a mock plane crash in a parking lot and had about 30-40 scouts playing the part. They were triaged and the transported to the local hospitals where medical personnel would take over. I have been in Scouting for over 30 years and have been very involved in having scouts Be Prepared for life. I talked about the CERT program to the scouts of Troop 24 of which I am the Scoutmaster. A few showed definite interest but Brad was the one that wanted it. The Scouts and adults in the class are very proud of Brad, and the knowledge that he gains at the course will be brought back to the Troop. I have encouraged other scouts to partake in the program and am talking to the Boy Scout Anawan Council to put articles in their flyer to go over to the scouts in the surrounding towns of Norton, Attleboro, Dighton, Taunton, Mansfield, just to name a few," Jack Ready, Scoutmaster, Troop 24 - Norton, MA.

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