CERT INFORMATION

CERT (Citizens Emergency Response Team) is sponsored by the following:

• Texas Department of Public Safety
• State of Texas Emergency Management
• Office of Domestic Preparedness
• National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• The presidents U.S.A. Freedom Corps
• The Pflugerville Police Department
• The Pflugerville Fire and Emergency Responders

Currently there are over 200,000 CERTS in 27 states and growing every day.

Pflugerville CERT personnel are a trained group of Pflugerville individuals who have prepared themselves through thorough and interesting training, to respond to emergencies in a one hundred square mile area around our city. We do not go to Houston, Wichita, Kansas, or other cities out of our immediate area. We do not respond to biological, nuclear or chemical attacks. The professionals take care of that. So just what do we respond to?

How many airplanes flew over your house last night? What if a Jarrell type tornado (f5) hit our community? Those planes can carry thousands of pounds of fuel; they can become deadly missiles and break into parts that can cover a major strip of our city. Tornadoes can level blocks and blocks of homes in minutes. And yes, we have had major flooding in our town. Our Fire and Police can be overwhelmed. We, as CERTS, help ourselves first. Secondly, we help our family and thirdly we help our neighbors then our community then our city. We don't load up and be away from our family for days or weeks. We will provide help, aide and comfort until the professionals are able to come to The Club at Wells point. That could be a few hours or a few days.

No, you don't have to have a degree in emergency medicine or dedicate hours and hours of time while you worry about the safety of your family. You will attend training sessions by CERT trainers, and the Fire and Police department. These sessions are for three hours on consecutive Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and a six-hour session on Saturday. Saturday is where it all comes together in a semi realistic training exercise. Then you will realize that after all, you can do it and be of great service to your family members and neighbors here in Pflugerville or wherever you are. The training and equipment are totally free. There is no cost to you except the thirteen or so hours spent in training. You will also make a lot of new friends.

For questions and information, you can contact:

• Sergeant Randy Glasgow, Pflugerville Police Department. 251-4004
• Jim Perry, CERT Trainer and your neighbor in The Club. Home 252-2914, Cell 736-6598
• The City of Pflugerville's CERT - Citizens Emergency Response Team web page

Call if you have questions or even think you might be interested.