CERT attracts new members in Oak Park




CERT attracts
new members in Oak Park
By Lori Porter
porter@theacorn.com

Eleven Oak Park residents were recently certified as members of the Oak Park Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) after completing a six-week training course in disaster survival skills through the Ventura County Fire Department.


Firefighter Steve Kaufman from Station No. 36 presented certificates to the new CERT members at a recent Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council meeting. Groups like CERT form the first line of defense in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security. CERT has recently added a new training segment that deals with terrorist attacks.


Receiving CERT certificates in Oak Park were: Sandy Bilham, Connie Worm, Rhonda Lim, Iris Rosov, Joann Miraglia, Craig Carman, Carl Caligiuri, Lisa Harris, Linda Pimes, Sheryl Shatz and Fay Azad. They’ve joined the eight-year-old Oak Park CERT.


It may come as a surprise that many are women. But it’s not unusual to Diane Starzak, Oak Park CERT coordinator.


"Women are more proactive in prevention services, especially when it comes to the health and safety of children," said Starzak. "In our community, there are more stay-at-home moms."


Nobody knows when disaster will strike. But women are home with children more often than men, Starzak said, and they’re concerned about being prepared because they are home alone.


According to Starzak, most of those who go through CERT training are highly motivated people who want to be prepared. They’re typically problem-solvers, she said.


Preparedness, Starzak said, could be the difference between life and death in a catastrophe.


"We’re used to everyone taking care of us and don’t know much about surviving days without utilities," said Starzak. At the very least, people should know how and be prepared to take care of their families because emergency workers will be overwhelmed.


A startling fact recently reported by CNN online reveals that recent geological studies have put Californians on notice: "Current levels of strain measured at the San Andreas (fault) are at their highest in 1,500 years and suggest the fault is due to begin releasing that pent-up energy as a large earthquake or quakes."


To learn more about CERT training, call Diane Starzak at (818) 889-2361.



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