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	PARTNERSHIP FOR PREPAREDNESS… Semper Paratus David A. Donnelly, FPEM Assistant Emergency Manager, Alachua County, Florida In a day of shrinking budgets and small staffs, it is difficult for any public safety agency to maintain a high level of preparedness. Alachua County has recently been certified as the first ‘StormReady’ community in the State of Florida. This is due in large part to technology. Our county utilizes the EMWIN system, along with automated paging and email software, to remain vigilant against severe weather and tropical storms. However, there is one hazard we face that requires a human element for early detection: wildfires. Although technology can allow the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Florida Division of Forestry (DOF) to predict fire weather, detection of wildfires in rural areas still relies on a person scaling a 100-foot tower in the heat of the day to watch for smoke
Alachua County is located in North Central Florida and is a mixed county with urban and vast rural areas. The county seat, Gainesville, is home to the University of Florida and 100,000 residents. The remainder of the populace (105,000 +) live in eight, smaller municipalities and the unincorporated areas. Alachua County began its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program in April of 1998 and has since trained nearly 200 people. As with any volunteer program, Alachua County has had challenges in maintaining the graduates’ interests. Kevin Rolfe (a senior CERT instructor) and myself approached DOF with the following proposition: What about utilizing CERTs to supplement fire tower staff during fire season? Rick Dolan and Don West of DOF’s Waccasassa District embraced the idea immediately.
Recently, DOF was told to make budget cuts and paid tower staff was one area that was targeted. One of our objectives was to allow the rangers to be able to fight wildfires while maintaining observers in the towers to spot other fires. We presented this to our CERT grads and a dozen quickly signed up. They attended an orientation session where they were introduced to DOF and its mission. From there, we scheduled times for them to go up the towers and get their initial training. The training consisted of smoke spotting, using the alidade (a sighting apparatus on a plane table for angular measurement. It is used to spot a fire from a known point.) and radio procedures. Knowing we were in a continuing drought and that fire season would start earlier, we felt it was important to get the CERTs trained and operational as soon as possible.
To get on board with DOF, we had to apply as a group with myself as the team leader. I was responsible for scheduling the initial training sessions and maintaining time sheets. Once DOF became familiar with the CERTs, they were able to sign up for whatever shifts they wanted directly with the Forest Area Supervisor.

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