For more than a decade, Hanover County residents have seized the opportunity to help others in our community by being trained as Community Emergency Response Team (“CERT”) members. Collin Chamberlin, Becky Clarke, Keith Kellam, Ryan Rooney, Stephen Sattie, Daniel Simpson, Susan Simpson, Kimberly Stokes, Debbie Ward, and Scott Yeakey are the newest members, having graduated on February 16.

These residents completed five sessions that covered various aspects of preparation for emergencies in our community, emergency preparedness, basic first aid, fire extinguisher usage, search and rescue, terrorism, and incident command structure. Classes were taught by FEMA-certified CERT members.

Over the last three years Hanover County CERT members have assisted with COVID-19 vaccination centers as well as working events such as the Hanover Tomato Festival and Ashland’s Train Day. The CERT motto is “The greatest good for the greatest number.” Those who take the class can then opt to join Hanover Fire/EMS under the volunteer CERT and serve our community in even more ways.

For more information about future CERT classes, please e-mail [email protected].

Photo identification: From left to right on the first row, Jim Rosalez (instructor); Collin Chamberlin; Kimberly Stokes; Becky Clarke; Debbie Ward; and Mitch Goldstein (instructor). Second row: Don Ward (instructor); Stephen Sattie, Daniel Simpson; Susan Simpson; Keith Kellam; and Ryan Rooney. Not pictured is Scott Yeakey.