WHATCOM COUNTY 
Dale Kloes, Program Specialist, Whatcom County Sheriff's Office Division of Emergency Management

Whatcom County, Washington is unique in its geographic location.  It is located in the extreme northwest corner of the United States and borders Canada to the north. The local hazards include all the usual types such as floods, landslides, droughts, wildfires, winter storms, as well as snow avalanches, blizzards, mine subsidence, coastal tidal surges, earthquakes, the possibility of a tsunami, and there is even a steaming, snow-capped volcano overlooking the area.  Whatcom County is also home to a very active and successful Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

Soon after the first CERT classes graduated in 1999, they found that they could contribute in a big way to the community.  Many of the newly-formed team were activated to assist during two large disasters. The first was the 300,000-gallon gasoline spill from a pipeline into Whatcom Creek with resulting explosion that killed three people in Whatcom Falls Park on June 10, 1999. The American Red Cross honored CERT members as recipients of their annual Real Heroes Award. Washington Governor Gary Locke presented each CERT member who helped out during the Whatcom Creek incident with a Real Hero Award.  On July 2, less than a month later, the CERT was activated again to assist following an explosion at the local Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper mill. In both cases, CERT personnel were summoned to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to help emergency managers cope with the events.

During Y2K several CERT members welcomed in the New Year 2000 by helping staff in the EOC prepare for any problems with the high tech equipment or other difficulties in the county. 

On February 28, 2001 a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Washington State causing billions of dollars of damage.  The CERT immediately activated to check their homes, their neighbors, and their neighborhoods for damages.  Even though the phone lines were jammed, they found a way to contact the EOC by accessing their cellular phone company on the 800 line and patching through with reports from the outlying areas. Other CERT members reported directly to EOC to assist the staff.

On April 21, 2001 a major cross-border protest sponsored and organized by the Peace Arch Coalition was billed as a “No Way FTAA” (Free Trade Agreement of Americas) demonstration. Although the international meeting was held in Quebec this group was focusing their protest at the Peace Arch Park in Blaine, Washington at the Canada-United States Interstate-5 border crossing.  A large-scale effort was launched by federal, state, and specifically Whatcom County to prevent problems and confrontations at the protest rally. CERT members assisted as runners, phone monitors, and assistants to the staff in the central command center located in Blaine.

CERT has activated to assist the EOC during several periods of winter storms of snow, or destructive high winds, or floods.  They answer phones; record data and reports as they occur, serve as runners (go-fers), or do whatever is needed.

On September 11, 2001, no one had to call CERT. Several members immediately reported to the EOC with both their emergency preparedness kits and disaster response kits in hand, ready to stay as long as they were needed.

When emergencies and disasters responses move to recovery, there are still follow-up phone calls to be made and paperwork to be completed.  Oftentimes, CERT members can be found helping the emergency management staff. Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management recently prepared for possible power outages due to a drought in 2001. A CERT member assisted in the phone calls and information gathering to prepare the essential community businesses and services.

Additionally, the organizational skills, the spirit of cooperation and responsibility of CERT members have been used in community events such as the local AirFest for several years. These annual air shows, sponsored by the Bellingham International Airport, give CERT the opportunity to work together as they serve as gatekeepers, crowd control monitors, marshaling planes, safety monitors, parking lot attendants, and volunteer coordinators.  CERT is also utilized during Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-required Bellingham Airport Disaster Drills. CERT members participate in a variety of simulated capacities: victims, assistants to first responders, family members, command center staff, or at EOC. This has increased their skills and our understanding of the Incident Command System.

When emergencies and disasters responses move to recovery, there are still follow-up phone calls to be made and paperwork to be completed.  Oftentimes, CERT members can be found helping the emergency management staff. Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management recently prepared for possible power outages due to a drought in 2001. A CERT member assisted in the phone calls and information gathering to prepare the essential community businesses and services.

Additionally, the organizational skills, the spirit of cooperation and responsibility of CERT members have been used in community events such as the local AirFest for several years. These annual air shows, sponsored by the Bellingham International Airport, give CERT the opportunity to work together as they serve as gatekeepers, crowd control monitors, marshaling planes, safety monitors, parking lot attendants, and volunteer coordinators.  CERT is also utilized during Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-required Bellingham Airport Disaster Drills. CERT members participate in a variety of simulated capacities: victims, assistants to first responders, family members, command center staff, or at EOC. This has increased their skills and our understanding of the Incident Command System.

Whatcom County CERT members are enthusiastic, possess many work and life skills, are organized self-starters, and want to help wherever they are needed. You will find them talking about CERT to Block Watch and other neighborhood associations, granges and to church and school groups. They have visited neighbors to identify themselves as a resource in the event of an emergency. Some have completed the Train-the-Trainer course and serve as CERT instructors.

Whatcom County CERT offers its members monthly continuing education classes that offer exploration into areas that could be associated with CERT activities and a monthly newsletter.  This year, classes included a CERT skills refresher focusing on first-aid and assistance to first responders, an introduction to amateur radio, two American Red Cross certified First-Aid / CPR / AED classes, and a class in moulage application.  Upcoming classes and events include a class to identify and use wild edible plants as survival food, a picnic and fire demonstration sponsored by a volunteer fire department, and an introduction to flagging and traffic control. In addition, CERT members were recently invited to attend American Red Cross Introduction to Disaster, Mass Care, and Shelter Operations classes offered by the Whatcom County chapter. 

Whatcom County CERT is fortunate to have the cooperation of many local fire departments, the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross and Support Officers to assist in training and development.  Emergency Management also plays a large part in training, support and coordination. Ultimately, it is the CERT member’s enthusiasm and participation that makes the success of the program.  Whatcom County CERT is very successful and its success is owed to its members, who ironically, benefit the most from the program.

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This article was written by Ann Melton, CERT member, instructor and editor of the monthly newsletter CERT News for Whatcom County CERT.

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