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Goals of the Damascus Emergency Preparedness Team |
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For quite some time, a number of Damascus residents found themselves concerned about whether the community was prepared to handle a disaster that could cut them off from any outside help. Another concern was how to deal with the consequences of a disaster in an adjacent community that could impact on Damascus. |
| In 2004 these concerned residents organized themselves into the Damascus Emergency Preparedness Team (DEPT) and have been meeting almost weekly ever since to ready themselves, through the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, for virtually every aspect of dealing with a disaster. The CERT program is funded through a Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) grant to Montgomery County. |
| One of the Damascus team's primary goals is to have as many community members as possible trained through the CERT program and to sustain follow-up and refresher training. Already 17 Damascus residents have been CERT certified. More are expected to be certified under the next CERT training program scheduled to begin in November 2004. CERT classes will be held in the media center of Damascus High School. |
| Over the long haul the DEPT goal of is to field a comprehensive multi-faceted program that will be fully integrated with similar programs involving first aid, police, firefighters, rescue and CERT personnel in adjacent communities and throughout the region. |
| For more information, please contact DEPT president Paul Laing at plaing56@verizon.net |
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