1. WAYS TO FURTHER ENGAGE OUR CERT VOLUNTEERS
Stacy E. Gerlich, M.A. Captain/Paramedic
Los Angeles Fire Department
Margaret Romiti, Emergency & Volunteer Services Manager
Concord Police Department, Office of the Chief

2. Why People Volunteer Have fun Give back Try new things
Make a positive difference
Build up their resume’
Learn about different cultures
Meet new people
Have knowledge and experiences to share
Feel needed
Because they can

3. Program is driven by the needs of YOUR community
Agency buy in
Public Relations
Your Citizens serving their community
Community Empowerment & involvement in public safety
Funding
General Fund
Non-Profit
Policies & Procedures
Create or revisit
Liability - CIMA or DSWVP
Managing
Paid staff position vital
Vision/Goals
Training
Tracking
Retain
Recognize
Empower
Appreciate
Program is driven by the needs of YOUR community

4. Ways to Further Engage Our CERT Volunteers

5. “Citizens who are part of the solution” Realizing the police mission, through city, community and citizen partnerships
From Recession to Retirements
Adding value to your agency
Community Policing
Realizing the police mission through city, community and citizen partnerships

6. How do we Keep our CERTs Engaged
Drills
Community Events
ICS
Active Shooter
Hazardous Materials
Fire Extinguishers
Triage
Head-to-Toe check
Search & Rescue
CISM
Metro Tunnel
Fairs
School Visits
Marathons
Boy Scouts
American Red Cross
Parades
Senior presentations
DAFN
Incorporating CERT volunteers should be done when ever the opportunity exists. All drills should include a volunteer component so we may strengthen the working relationships between paid first responders and volunteer responders (CERT). Having our CERT volunteers exposed

7. Incorporate CERT into FD Drills
Unified Command
Hospital Drills
How does CERT respond
Who should CERT report to
How can CERT be utilized as force multipliers
Where does CERT fit in the ICS structure
HICS
Triage Teams
Understanding Triage Tags
Using CERT as transporters
Decontamination concerns
Forming relationships with your first responders is a vital component to CERTs success. There is much enfaces placed on the value of CERT but often it is self serving for first responders– LAFD CERT Call-Out for example responds to Wind events, weather, hydration and community events. During those times, CERT is valuable to the organization but when things are normal, CERT is not really valued as it should be. ($$)

8. Our only limits, are the ones we create… It’s what we do
AED Training/Support Services
Background Investigator
*Business License Project
Cadet Program
Car Wash Program
CERT – Planning, Training, Drills, Exercises
*Code Enforcement – Shopping carts, permits
Concord Auxiliary Radio Emergency Service
Clerical Assistant DV/SUV/ Juvenile Cases/SRO’s
*Community Court Admin Records Clerk
Committee Member
*Community Outreach Group
*Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED)
Crime Scene Investigator Asst.
Data Entry/Database Maintenance
DUI Checkpoint
*Equipment & Alarms Assistant/Fleet
*Facility Escorts
Financial Crimes Unit – Crime Stat/Detective Mapping/Leads
Front Lobby Liaison
Grant writing support *Hospitality Crew Instructor / Trainer – DHS/CERT/Patrol Internship Program Librarian Mail run *Neighborhood Patrol - Evening Patrol temp New VIPS Orientation Parking Citation Appeals – Handicap *Parking Service Unit – Handicap Citations Photography Police Chaplain *Pre-school Safety Program Record Clerk – Scanning and purging Search & Rescue/Pilots/Divers *Special Events – Fairs, outreach *Speakers Bureau – Chevron, PG&E, Rotary Tour Guides Tow Hearing Officer – Appeal Traffic Control *Park Stewards Program *Program Leads

9. Enhancing the Experience
After Action Reports (AAR) Incident Action Plans (IAP) Event Action Plans (EAP)
Tasking CERT volunteers with creating After Action Reports, Incident Action Plans and Event Action Plans can expand their knowledge with regard to ICS forms and the importance of documentation. Include info from the Sayre fire AAR.

10. Utilize Social Media to Engage
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Consider utilizing SM to engage volunteers by having spontaneous messages requesting response. You can meet in a park or any area conducive to performing an inclusive exercise. You can canvas a neighborhood (your own) and discuss utility locations, location of high voltage wires, obvious safety concerns, etc. Use your SM apps to post pictures, information, etc…

11. Innovation
Passion is something that is very necessary for us to continue the momentum and success of CERT. We all have ideas and experiences that help form our vision as it relates to CERT and keeping it fresh and exciting. We should consider forming a “think tank” concept similar to how Google and Apple support group think environments. We are only limited by our imaginations.

12. Other Programs Formidable Footprint Map Your Neighborhood
LA City 5 Step Neighborhood Program
Battalion Drills
CERT Rodeo’s
Include links for these programs
Maps

13. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY!!
Stacy Gerlich
Margaret Romiti
LUNCHTIME