(HARRIS COUNTY, TX) – Harris County Citizen Corps will hold its 13th annual CERT Rodeo on Saturday, February 9, 2019, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Harris County Fire & Sheriff’s Training Academy, 2318 Atascocita Road in Humble.
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) from around the state will test their skills in medical operations, search and rescue, fire suppression, incident command, and hazmat recognition. Every year, more than 300 participants and volunteers contribute to the success of this event.
“If we can empower our community to help each other and have life-saving skills to solve problems during a disaster, we will be better prepared,” said Harris County Citizen Corps Director Mark Sloan.
In 2018, CERT membership grew to almost 35,000 trained volunteers. Throughout the year, CERT volunteers assisted with community events, drills, and exercises with first responders and emergency managers.
“CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training that first responders can rely on during disasters. This allows them to focus on more complex tasks,” added Sloan.
To be a CERT member, individuals must complete an extensive eight-week course taught by first responders to improve their proficiency in emergency preparedness basics that can be used in their homes, workplaces, and communities.
In addition to the more than 34,931 trained volunteers involved in 276 CERTs, Harris County Citizen Corps membership includes 22,026 volunteers from 24 Volunteers in Police Service agencies; 4,165 volunteers in the Medical Reserve Corps; 6,187 volunteers from the 351 neighborhoods participating in the National Neighborhood Watch program; and 24 Fire Corps programs.
For information about Harris County Citizen Corps go to www.harriscountycitizencorps.com. News and updates are also available on Facebook @HarrisCountyCitizensCorps.