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	CONTINUING EDUCATION AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES CRITICAL TO MAKING CERTS A VALUABLE RESOURCE TO THE COMMUNITY. Diane Middleton, CERT Coordinator, Whatcom County Emergency Management, Bellingham, Washington Communities cannot order up a disaster to keep their citizens’ disaster response skills honed. We wouldn’t even want the ability to do so. In the absence of the “real thing”, however, communities should provide opportunities for Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) to practice their newly acquired skills.
In Whatcom County, Washington we have found continuing education and volunteer opportunities the key to a successful program. Three times in the past year our local CERT members have volunteered their support when our Emergency Operations Center was activated. Those who participated had a much higher retention rate than those who did not. In discussions with these graduates, we found they had been bitten by the “emergency management bug”. They saw disaster response in action, they witnessed first-hand the value of their contribution, and they had an opportunity to use their skills to make a difference in their community. They were hooked.
	We utilized the energy and skills of these citizens and allowed them to assist with developing continuing education opportunities. With the guidance of our instructors, they put together a full-scale exercise simulating a major earthquake. A local business offered their office and warehouse space to host the event. CERT graduates who had attended the Train-the-Trainer offered to take the lead. Upon entering the office, CERT members found over-turned filing cabinets, downed “electrical wires”, paper strewn across the floors and desks, injured and trapped “victims”, and more needs than resources. It was a valuable learning experience for everyone involved.
Those who have participated in our various drills and exercises have remained active in the program. Graduates that volunteer to be “victims” for other CERT classes learn additional skills from observing and they provide valuable feedback to the instructors. Volunteers working in the Emergency Management office learn important information on emergency preparedness and response within their community, and those who volunteer to help with airport drills or mass casualty incident exercises expand their skills, knowledge, and contribution to our community.
Consistently we have found that if we can get graduates to attend at least one continuing education opportunity they become a resource for us to depend on before, during and after a disaster. Those who have attended two or more exercises have become a resource not only for our office and the community, but are now the driving force that have kept the program strong and successful.
	Four counties (Snohomish, Whatcom, Island and Skagit) have joined together to conduct a friendly competition to practice CERT skills. All CERT graduates from each county are able to participate. Stations are set up for fire suppression, search and locate (includes triage), victim removal, and more. This continuing education opportunity promotes a region-wide sense of community and helps the graduates update their skills.
These graduates have shown a genuine interest in their community and have lightened the workload for delivering additional classes. They have learned so much, and have a lot to teach us as well. They are better prepared and more confident. They have been empowered. Their skills have become a great resource to this community. When disaster next strikes our community, we will be prepared. Our citizens have been trained, drilled and utilized. The continuing education and volunteer opportunities have enabled our citizens to be valuable resources instead of liabilities. They continue to be the key to our success.


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