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News & Notices

Introduction to Emergency Communication

Ernie Hood and Jen Ekizian will be representing CERT at the Emergency Communications Symposium. Jen will introduce CERT, and explain how it fits into our Emergency Management efforts in Pend Oreille County. Ernie will speak about Amateur Radio, GMRS, and Zello, explaining how these services can serve in times of crisis in the Pend Oreille Community. For more information about the symposium, contact Jim Dean at (425) 418.4734. The event is Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 1:30 pm. and will be held at the LDS Church located at 3281 Hwy 2, between Priest River and Oldtown, Idaho.

POCERT Members Meeting

Wednesday, August 21, 2024, 6:30pm POCERT will hold its monthly members & board meeting at Laurelhurst Manor Clubhouse. Agenda for the meeting is:

1. Cert Training review

2. Our path forward as a CERT

a. Developing a Neighborhood curriculum?

b. Membership drive?

c. Begin Neighborhood Seminar’s?

3. Funding

a. Grants for CERT?

b. Local Fundraiser?

4. Planning calendar through next year.

a. County Fair 2025?

b. Rodio 2025?

c. On-line presence, webpage, email

d. Annual Meeting

Pend Oreille (CERT) Completes Training

The newly formed Pend Oreille Community Emergency Response Team recently held their first certification training course. Thirteen of their 21 volunteer/members trained and received certification for proficiency in first aid, minor search and rescue, fire safety and disaster organization training. The 24 hour training took place over two consecutive weekends at the Southern Baptist Church on Highway 2 in Newport, WA.

Trainers from Bonner County CERT provided a combination of classroom instruction and simulation exercises to equip Pend Oreille County CERT members in how to provide help for the community if a disaster were to occur.

POCERT’s goal is to educate and prepare neighborhoods for disasters that are most likely to impact our communities like floods, volcanic eruptions, extreme weather events and wildfires. We will conduct neighborhood seminars throughout the county. Call 509-671-7642 for scheduling or more information.

“Because we live in a sparsely populated and well forested county, wildfire is by far our biggest concern,” said Jim Jeffers, president of Pend Oreille Community Emergency Response Team. “We are listed as having a calculated risk factor of “4” in the county’s Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan. That means the probability of having a catastrophic fire event annually is 100%. The years we don’t are simply our good fortune.

POCERT booth at Rodeo

POCERT will have a Booth at the Newport Rodeo this year. Rodeo booth will be manned Thur. Jun 20th, 5pm - 8:30, Fri, June 21st, 5:00 pm - 8:30 pm; and Sat, June 21st, 11:30 am - 8:30 pm. Volunteers please contact jim5569@gmail.org for schedule.

CERT Introductory Meeting

Our initial CERT Informational Meeting was held at the Hospitality House in Newport Tuesday, March 26th. By head count 62 people attended.The purpose of the meeting was to determine if there was enough interest in the Community Emergency Response Training program to form our own CERT in Pend Oreille County.

Bill Steele, Bonner County CERT Coordinator spoke to a packed Hospitality House about their seven year history in CERT and the impact it has made in Bonner County. CERT has trained over 150 people since it first started. Bill referred to the people who receive training but do not join CERT afterwords as ‘Catch and release.’ “Not everyone who takes the training becomes CERT Members,” Bill said. “However, their training positively impacts Bonner County because they are are equipped to assist families and neighbors in a disaster. It’s not like the training is wasted.” Bonner County’s CERT team is 40-members strong and they meet monthly to training and practice.

Steele points out CERT teams are not first responders. They operate under the sheriff’s office to provide assistance to first responders. Because CERT team members live in the community they serve, they may be the first to provide emergency first aid, extinguish small fires, and help family and neighbors to safety. CERT teams also assist to mobilize shelters and distribute food, water and information.

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