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	Hurricane Nora Threatens Michael L. Browning, Fire Marshal, Mohave Valley, Arizona Mohave County Arizona: In the fall of 1997 Hurricane Nora threatened many of Arizona’s rural counties. Within hours, many of Mohave County’s Emergency Services were preparing for the onslaught of a major hurricane which could bring heavy rains to the dry southwestern deserts.
Many of Mohave County’s small communities have volunteer fire services, which are very limited in local resources. Many of these small communities rely on each other for help during emergencies and with the threat of heavy rains, could be cut off from each other for several hours if not days. With Noras arrival, little damage was reported from emergency services throughout the county. Other parts of Arizona received more than 4 inches of rain overnight. Days just after Noras impact on Arizona, brought many of Mohave County Officials together to review the problems of Nora and how to better prepare for future disaster threats with the upcoming 1998 El Nino. In November of 1997, the Mohave Valley Fire District located south of Bullhead City Arizona, implemented the first known Arizona Community Emergency Response Team. The first C.E.R.T Class graduated in January of 1998 during a record rain fall for many parts of Arizona. El Nino brought much needed rain to Arizona which in turn created new fire hazards during the summer.
	Local C.E.R.T Team volunteers assisted with fire crews during a wildland fire located upon the Havasu Wildlife Refuge in July. Volunteers from C.E.R.T and Amateur Radio Emergency Service worked hand in hand with local fire agencies during the wildfire with daytime temperatures over a 115 degrees.
The long term goal for the Mohave County C.E.R.T Program is to penetrate each rural community with disaster education and assist in the development of other C.E.R.T Teams through out the county.

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