About 4 years ago, I became a trained member of my local CERT, Community Emergency Response Team. I attended meetings did training, and even helped out during the 2007 wildfires here in San Diego. As my Disaster Service Worker card expires in June, I started looking at what it took to renew it. There was a lot of email flying around about the requirements and they changed a few times in the last few weeks (about 1.5 years ago, the CERT coordinator for San Diego left for a new job and was replaced by someone that seems bent on making life hard for us volunteers). Last night I went to my local CERT meeting and they talked about the requirements to renew the card and then brought up the topic that they’ve been talking about for 4 years and that is how to outfit a container box that it has with supplies as the money is coming from the city. The box is a huge step forward (it actually exists), but the money still hasn’t been released by the city (it comes from “developer funds” that people paid when our community was first built). Will the city ever release the funds? I don’t know and I’m a bit tired of it.
When I came home last night, I made a decision that both saddened me and relieved me at the same time. I decided not to continue with CERT. I really like the concept of being a community volunteer in case of a disaster, but the hoops that I’d have to go through to continue to be a volunteer are just not worth my time. I will be renewing my EMT certification which I’ve done every two years for the last 16 years, so that I can continue to be trained in case a disaster strikes or maybe I cut my finger and I need to patch myself up.
Judging by the low attendance and some of the discussion at the meeting last night, I won’t be surprised if CERT membership declines rapidly. I really like the concept of CERT and believe it can be an invaluable resource, but it seems like there is far too much politics involved in my local CERT (the new coordinator won’t let anyone email her; we must go through our area people who then talks to a liaison who then talks to her or something like that; the old coordinator responded to a number of my email messages and never made people go through hoops like this).
In any case, I liked being part of CERT, but it is time for me to move on. I wish CERT the best of luck and I hope that things turn around and interest in CERT goes back up.
CERT training was offered recently in my city but with a new baby and Thanksgiving happening all at once my wife wouldn\’t let me take on any more \