Mission Statement

 

The mission of the Bonner County CERT Volunteer Program is to encourage the citizens of Bonner County and surrounding areas to create a state of community emergency awareness and preparedness while ready to collaborate with local responders in times of need to protect life, property, and prevent or reduce crime through mitigation and response.

CERT is a national program within Citizen Corps that promotes all-hazard neighborhood preparedness through education, training, and volunteerism. Bonner County CERT Volunteer Program encourages our citizens to be self-reliant and community-spirited. The CERT Training will encompass all-hazards emergency preparedness, basic first aid, life-saving skills, crime prevention, terrorism awareness, mitigation or property damage prevention, safety in the home, and community relations.

 

Bonner County Emergency Management Goals

 

I.  To raise disaster awareness through education and training.

 Plan of Action

• Adult CERT training
  • Develop the Bonner County CERT program by offering regular biannual CERT training.
    
    
• Ongoing training and engagement for CERT graduates.
  
• Continuing Education Program
  • ICS – Incident Command System Training
  • Shelter Training
  • Ham / Amateur Radio Training
  • FAST – First Aid for Severe Trauma Training
  • CERT Advanced Training

II.   Create volunteer opportunities, public service, and community cooperation.

Plan of Action

• Staff a CERT booth at the Panhandle Preparedness Expo
  • To promote public education
  • To promote volunteerism
    
    
• Create tight-knit self-sufficient neighborhoods through Neighborhood Watch.
  • MYN (Map Your Neighborhood) concept.
  • Identify risks unique to a neighborhood.
    
    
• Create an alternative communication system to disseminate information to respond in case of medical emergencies and other related medical volunteer opportunities.
• Partner and work with North Idaho Medical Reserve Corps to prepare to respond in case of medical emergency and other related medical volunteer opportunities.
• Tap local businesses for support and offer employee emergency training.

III.  Create opportunities to work with local responders and neighboring communities to foster mutual aid and cooperation.

Plan of Action

• Participate in training exercises and foster cooperation with first responders.
• Hold a coordinated exercise in conjunction with other CERT groups.
• Create a training exercise and evaluation plan and form a volunteer team for the Bonner County EOC – Emergency Operations Center.