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NATRONA COUNTY C.E.R.T. *Stewart Anderson, Natrona County OES* C.E.R.T. in Natrona County Wyoming has been in existence for about 3 years. We were a 1999 Project Impact community at that time and through a survey found that a good majority of the public wanted current hazard information on not only how to prepare for a disaster but what to do if and when one would hit. At the same time, Emergency Management was heavily involved with our school district’s Crises Management Team. This district wide team oversees the entire district and each school is required to have a team to formulate plans for that particular school. The teams were hungry for specific training dealing not only with the stranger on campus issues but what to do for a mass casualty situation caused from tornadoes, earthquakes, etc. In the Emergency Management Office, we were looking for a way to build a structured independent volunteer base, and to have them trained. This had not been done in Natrona County under the Emergency Management Office. Hence, CERT became extremely inviting to “kill a bunch of birds with one stone.”

Our first class involved two school teams and two county office teams. Partnerships were formed with local businesses that donated hard hats, safety glasses, and/or gave discounts on other equipment. A partnership with the local airport gave us a building to use for our practical exercises, cribbing training, as well as the fire suppression. The building donated even looks like it went through a disaster, so it was perfect. All who go through the training get a certificate. Those who go through 100% of the training get the certificate signed, a picture ID card and are put on a call-out list. Those who miss a class or two can pick them up with the next class and still get a 100% completion. We have approximately 200 folks enlisted with about 75% of those who have completed all training. We usually run four classes from fall to spring. However, due to high demand this year, we presently have two classes going with 22 in each class. Our December class is ½ full and so is the February class. We usually start advertising a month ahead of each class but we have done no advertising since February of last year. We do have an add that runs at the local movie theaters in the slides before each movie. Most advertising comes from word-of-mouth.
	Those who go through 100% of training are eligible for advanced training. Some of the advanced training that has been offered: Weather Spotter, advanced fire training; defensive operations with a fire apparatus, Disaster Exercises, Search techniques, CPR. Some future classes will included: Use of backboards and spider straps, Urban lost person search and Rescue, Rural Search and Rescue, Survival techniques, Terrorism, and refresher courses will start to be offered.
We also now have a trailer for hauling our training supplies. The trailer is a single axle, ramp door with a side door up front 6’x8’. In the trailer are a 5K generator, extension cords and work lights, Pry bars, 10 and 5 pound extinguishers, 1^st aid bags (4) and restocking supplies, blankets, tarps, splinting materials, gas meter, two mannequins on backboards. The gas meter and mannequins can be removed at a moments notice and back boards slid in for an actual response if necessary. We have only used the trailer for training so far.
A CERT committee was formed to make the project a non-profit. They have a board and have been holding regular meetings. They have raised about $2,500.00 so far. Some of the CERT members help out at a Blue Grass festival held every year with parking, 1^st aid etc., and the parks dept. donates $500.00 to the committee. Other fundraisers are in the works. This committee was formed to help sustain the project after the federal funds are gone. We do have enough equip, books, supplies etc for about 9 more classes. We are also growing in the area of volunteer instructors. We just meet with 6 city fire fighters that want to assist in instructing. Presently all of our instructors go through the course, then the TTT and figure out which modules they are comfortable with. We also co-teach with each of them to make sure they are “believers” in he program and “effective” instructors.
	Natrona County is a county that sits in the middle of Wyoming. Casper is the county seat and makes up the majority of the population, about 50,000 folks. Natrona County has a total of around 70,000 to 75,000 total with a total area of 5,700 square miles. North Platte River meanders through the county along with several streams. The altitude ranges from about 5,200 feet up to the highest point at around 9,000 feet. Mostly ranching and oil and gas throughout the county. The hazards that effect us here are; drought, wildfires with urban interface, hazardous materials incidents, the potential for terrorist activity, earthquake, severe winter storms, sever spring/summer storms, flooding, flash flooding, tornadoes.
Due to the rural nature of the county and state, we are very dependent upon ourselves for probably at least the 1^st 24 hours, before outside help from larger areas would arrive. CERT is seen by the emergency response agencies as help now instead of a threat. Some of the volunteer fire departments and ambulance services were worried that they were out for competition. Just the opposite has happened. The volunteer departments have gained volunteers who have joined their organizations.
The 1^st WY disaster deployment for CERT, as well as Natrona County’s 1^st, was under a mutual aid contract to Johnson County, the county located to the North of Natrona County. The Town of Kaycee WY, population around 500, had suffered a flash flood after a thunderstorm dropped 7 inches of rain in a couple of hours upstream of the town. The town lost about ½ of their homes and even more of their businesses. CERT members were deployed over a 4-day period with 21 members going on various days. General debris removal as well as assisting residents with moving out household goods before their homes were razed. Only one minor injury, a scratch to an arm of one member occurred.
We are looking forward to the continued sustainability of the program and the numbers to grow in both participants as well as instructors.

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