Back Updates

October 2024

• Mount Rainier Day
  Took place on September 7th. CERT had a strong presence and CERT volunteers spoke with dozens of visitors to the event. Fourteen local residents signed up to receive information about CERT at the event.
• Public Safety Night
  CERT will have a tent. Activities planned include demonstration of first aid kits, how to use a fire extinguisher. (Public Safety Night was postponed because of inclement weather. New date to be determined)
• Budget
  There were no expenditures this month.  We have about $3,000 in our treasury. We discussed the idea of CERT buying audio-visual equipment for use during training events.  To be discussed at a future meeting.
•  Future Trainings CERT would like to host in Mount Rainier
• Narcan 
  This could be hosted at the fire department.  Karen will contact the trainers to plan a time, perhaps in early November.  We will need a projector.
• Active Shooter Training
  Melissa will contact Bruce at Anne Arundel CERT to arrange. We discussed including a How To Disarm a Gun Training at the same time. Date to be determined
• CPR Training
  This would be in conjunction with OEM. Date to be determined
• Upcoming Prince George’s Office of Emergency Management trainings:
  • CPR:  Oct. 19, Dec. 14
  • Train the Trainer (two days):  Oct. 12-13
  • Basic CERT training (two days):  Oct. 26 & 27 and Nov. 30 & Dec.1

September 2024

• Thanks to CERTs - County Council Executive Alsobrooks sent out a proclamation congratulating and thanking CERT Groups in the county.
• Mount Rainier Day - Seeking Volunteers for Mt. Rainier Day, Sept. 7.  Please email certmountrainier@gmail.com if you are available and interested.
• Community Collaboration - Ageing in Place is a local group trying to establish an ‘intergenerational village.’  They are dedicated to caring for neighbors, helping community elders, to enrich their quality of life. CERT has offered to share our table with them for a portion of Mt. Rainier Day.
• Public Safety Night - Public Safety Night is September 27.  We need volunteers.  Planning for this event will occur at our September 23 meeting.
• Red Cross Training - Anne Arundel CERT Red Cross gave a presentation:  Responding to Disasters. Mark attended.  A lot of info was provided on what the Red Cross does in an emergency, how it mobilizes, sets up shelters, the breath and location of resources.  Contact Katie Butler at the Red Cross to learn more or to volunteer for their Disaster Action Team. To report an actual disaster: 1-800-RED-Cross.
• Active Shooter Training - Anne Arundel CERT has a lot of trainings coming up, including an Active Shooter at Reagan National Airport. To check out their calendar:  www.aaacert.org/calendar.
• Upcoming Prince George’s Office of Emergency Management trainings:
  • CPR:  Sept. 21, Oct. 19, Dec. 14
  • Train the Trainer:  Oct. 12-13
  • Basic CERT training (two days):  Oct. 26 & 27 and Nov. 30 & Dec.1

June 2024 Update

• CERT supported the Azalea 5K in University Park on May 4. Melissa reported that it was a great event.
• Mark attended a Red Cross Shelter Training last Saturday, sponsored by OEM on May 11.  Danielle is working to get at least one designated shelter in Mount Rainier. Currently there are none.
• Danielle will be doing an emergency management presentation about our CERT website in Ocean City this summer during the Municipal League gathering.
• At Mount Rainier Day, scheduled for Saturday, May 18, at the Nature Center (later postponed to September 7 due to inclement weather), volunteers at the CERT table will hand out safety literature, mini first aid kits, water, coloring books.  CERT will also stage some first aid ‘games’ and will hold a raffle where the winner gets a FIRE EXTINGUISHER! The meeting ended with packing up the goods for Mount Rainier Day.
• Mount Rainier Elementary School Carnival is May 31, starting at 5 pm.  CERT will distribute materials and offer activities similar to Mount Rainier Day.
• A committee is working on developing a safety workshop for Rainier Manor. Tentatively planned for July.

May 2024 Update

• New walkie-talkies were distributed to CERT members
• CERT giveaways for public events including 1st aid kits, flashlights, and pens have been ordered.  We hope to be able to distribute the giveaways at Mount Rainier Day.
• The Office of Emergency Management gave CERT a field first aid kit that includes a full gamut of supplies.
• CERT received two fire extinguishers, which will be raffled off at an upcoming public event.

 CERT Calendar of Spring Events

• Mount Rainier Day, May 18, Nature Center. CERT will have a table and volunteers present throughout the event.
• Mount Rainier Elementary School Carnival, May 31. CERT volunteers will host a table and perform safety demonstrations, 4:30 - 8pm
• Rainier Manor safety workshop is being planned. We are collecting information on what residents would find most helpful safety information. The Mount Rainier Volunteer Fire Dept. will also participate. Date to Be Determined.

April 2024 Update

• Three CERT members led interactive activities focused on first aid for 10 youth participants of a Roots & Shoots group on March 17.

 CERT Calendar of Spring Events

• Easter Egg Hunt, April 6, CERT members are encouraged to volunteer, but CERT will not have a table. Event will be held at the Nature Center, 11 am to 2pm.
• Safety briefing with Rainier Manor Residents, May TBD. A subcommittee was formed to plan the briefings.
• University Park 5K Run, May 4.  Begins at 7:30 am.  They are looking for volunteers to attend and help out.
• Mount Rainier Day, May 18.  CERT will have a table and volunteers present throughout the event.
• Mount Rainier Elementary School Carnival, May 31. CERT volunteers will host a table and perform safety demonstrations, 4:30 - 8pm

Budget Status: CERT has $1,380 remaining in the budget for this fiscal year. CERT will purchase 5 additional walkie-talkies and first aid supplies, pending the city’s approval.

March 2024 Update

• Recent Activities
  • Six CERT members completed a CPR/Stop the Bleed/Naloxone training on February 24. The training was led by Ann Arundel County CERT.
  • Two CERT members completed Prince George’s County Office of Emergency Management CERT Basic Training on February 24 and 25.
• Required Training
  • According to the Official CERT Manual (p.127), four FEMA independent study courses are suggested for CERT first responders.  The Mount Rainier CERT By-laws will be updated to reflect this training requirement. Danielle will present the change at the next city council meeting.

 CERT Calendar of Spring Events

• Roots and Shoots, March 17. Three CERT members volunteered to provide first aid training to the local Roots and Shoots group.
• Easter Egg Hunt, April 6, CERT members are encouraged to volunteer, but CERT will not have a table. Event will be held at the Nature Center, 11 am to 2pm.
• Safety briefing with Rainier Manor Residents, April TBD. A subcommittee was formed to plan the briefings.
• University Park 5K Run, May 4.  Begins at 7:30 am.  They are looking for volunteers to attend and help out.
• Mt. Rainier Day, May 18.  CERT will have a table and volunteers present throughout the event.

 Budget Status: CERT has $1,592.95 remaining in the budget.

• CERT spent $561.00 on the CPR/Stop the Bleed training held on February 24.
• CERT website renewal will cost $192.00 + tax. The Domain name renewal is $20.
• Future upcoming expenses include purchase of first aid supplies for events, and giveaways, such as pens, sunglasses, mini first aid kits, flashlights, pet stickers, fridge magnets, etc.
• A motion to purchase five radio walkie-talkies unanimously passed. Currently CERT has 5 walkie-talkies. The additional five will enable all Lead CERT members to have one.

February 2024 Update

First Aid and CPR Training held at Brentwood Fire Department

CERT hosted a successful First Aid and CPR training on January 24 at the Brentwood Fire Department. 12 community residents attended the training sponsored by Prince George’s County Office of Emergency Management.

January 22 Meeting Notes

• Covid Tests Available
  Please contact Linda Green if you would like free covid tests Lindadgreen@gmail.com. 
• 2023 Annual Goals Review
  Melissa led a review of our 2023 Annual Goals, noting that most were met. Goals we agreed to pursue in 2024, include:
  • Outreach to CERTs in University Park, Cheverly, and Upper Marlboro.
  • Assisting in developing CERT groups in Hyattsville, Brentwood, Colmar Manor, and Cottage City.
  • Being present for at least 4 community events, including Easter Egg Hunt, Mt. Rainier Day, Latino Heritage Celebration and Public Safety Night.
  • Reaching our 2023 goal of 10 lead CERT members (currently have 9).
  • Further development of our Team Deployment and City evacuation procedures.
  • Hosting two community trainings.
• Rainier Manor Safety Briefing
  Rainier Manor has requested through City Council member Danielle Carter a safety briefing/training for the residents.  CERT members discussed collaborating with the Mt. Rainier Volunteer Fire Dept. to offer safety sessions, one for each building. “Vial of Life” materials could be distributed, which would provide info about a resident’s medical needs, conditions and would be posted on a refrigerator and attached to a Ziploc travel bag in the event an EMT was called upon for assistance in an emergency.
• Stop the Bleed Training
  Karen agreed to send emails to see if there is enough interest (minimum six people) to hold a Stop the Bleed training for CERT members on Feb. 24 or 25. 
• Budget
  CERT has $2,154.56. We agreed to renew the website in March at a cost of $192+tax and cover the cost of the Stop the Bleed training, which will cost $65/member.
• Future Training Events
  Karen will organize two future 2024 training events, filling in for Rachel who will be on maternity leave. We discussed the Rainier Manor safety sessions and a Narcan training. 

January 2024 Update

• Free CPR training led by Office of Emergency Management for up to 25 people will be hosted by the Mount Rainier CERT at the Bunker Hill Fire house on Wednesday, January 24 at 7pm. 
• Radio Communication Update: A second repeater, antenna and cable are needed to ensure radio coverage throughout the city.  We will try to mount an antenna on the tallest downtown building available.  The ArtSpace/Artists Lofts building or the city owned building on Rhode Island Avenue are options. Motion was approved to purchase the repeater-antenna-cable package.
• Shelter Field Guides: CERT purchased Shelter Field Guides with detailed instructions on how to establish an emergency shelter in the event of a disaster or emergency. CERT will work towards identifying possible emergency shelter locations in Mount Rainier.
• Mass Care Training: Held December 16 by the Southern Maryland Red Cross was attended by 3 CERT members (Melissa, Mark, and Tim). 
• Stop the Bleed and CPR training will be held in February or March for CERT members at $65 per person.  A motion to use CERT budget funds to cover the cost was approved.
• Open Meetings Act: At least two CERT members must take the training.  Several expressed interest.  Melissa sent out the link.
• 2025 Budget Proposal: Melissa will draft budget proposal for 2024 based on a discussion about what would be most beneficial to the community within CERT’s capacity. 
• CERT Website: Motion to continue the subscription of the CERT website was approved for 2024 budget.

December 2023 Update

• CERT Membership: Interested individuals are asked to submit your applications for Mount Rainier CERT membership by December 5 in order to be considered for membership by the city. The city manager requests copies of any trainings that members have completed.  This topic will be revisited.
• Emergency Staging Areas: Melissa identified three potential staging areas when coping with city disasters:  1. The parking lot beside the Melinda Miles Building, 2. the Thomas Stone Elementary parking lot and 3. The lot across from Dollar General, near Queens Chapel Rd.
• Community Preparedness Training: All members are urged to take the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s online course:  IS 909: Community Preparedness: Implementing Simple Activities for Everyone. It takes approximately 2 hours and offers public engagement activities to for emergency situations.
• CERT Email: The city has provided a new CERT email:  cert@mountrainiermd.org to be used for official CERT correspondence. During this transition, Melissa will send emails from the new and old email address with the goal of being completely switched over in January 2024. 
• Budget: CERT currently has $2,759.55 available for us in FY 2024.

November 2023 Update

• City Requirements for Civic Organizations
  City Council Liaison Danielle provided an update on the City’s proposed civic organization application requirements.  CERT member Karen offered to speak on the topic at the city council work session, Nov. 7. 
• Water at Community Events
  CERT members agreed to continue to provide water at community events, using our large canteen, supplemented by bottled water provided by the city.  
• Police Explorers
  Six Police Explorer’s attended the meeting and spoke briefly about their interests and motivations for participating in the program. Officer Cruz described the Police Explorers’ mission and purpose, including participation at community events, weekly meetings, and trainings.
• Budget
  CERT currently has $2,824.00 available for use in FY’2024.
• Traffic Control Training
  Five CERT members attended a traffic control training provided by the Anne Arundel Police Reserves on Saturday, October 21. The training included classroom instruction and practice in orderly traffic management.  CERT purchased three whistles for future use and plans to buy orange gloves for traffic management.
• Meeting with Mount Rainier Volunteer Fire Department
  Two CERT members met with the Mt. Rainier Volunteer Fire Department to ask how CERT may assist them in their job.  They offered CERT the use of a large open space for trainings for up to 136 participants. To assist the County firefighters, CERT would need to make arrangements with the local County Fire Chief.
• CERT President Nomination
  Melissa was nominated for another term as President. CERT members will vote at the November CERT meeting.

October 2023 Update

• CERT field day: Melissa recapped of the County’s CERT Field Day in which participants practiced simulated disaster situations - putting out a fire, searching for victims, and how to evaluate and treat injuries.
• Communications system: The final component of our disaster communications system – an antenna – has be ordered and will be tested along with the walkie-talkies and repeater as soon as it arrives.
• Fire Department contact: Rachel has made contact with Firefighter Hines and she and Melissa will be meeting with him to discuss the ways CERT can be of assistance.
• CPR/AED training: Councilwoman Carter led a training in CPR and use of the Automatic Electronic defibrillator machine.  

September 2023 Update

• The Deployment Committee is making progress in setting up walkie-talkie communications for use during emergencies.  Melissa and Mark tested the devices and the repeater (amplifier) and determined that an antenna is required for cross-city coverage.   Tim is developing an easily readable map of Mt. Rainier that will clearly show rally points across the city for us to assemble in an emergency.

CERT reviewed our annual goals established in January:

• We have established collaboration with other area CERT teams (Upper Marlboro, Cheverly, University Park), with the City administration and Police Department.  We have yet to establish collaboration with the fire department. Mark is reaching out.
• We are on track to have a presence at one public event per quarter.  CERT was involved in the Easter Egg Hunt, Mt. Rainier Day and the 5k Run, Mt. Rainier Elementary School carnival, and National Night Out. CERT will also have a presence at Public Safety Night on September 22 and the Police Department's Halloween Trunk or Treat Event.
• We have hosted two public training events this year:  Active Shooter and Narcan. We plan to host a CPR/ First Aid training and a training on how to evacuate your home in the event of an emergency. Feedback from National Night Out is that many people are still interested in a Narcan training.
• Our efforts to double CERT’s membership and double our number of lead responders from 5 to 10 have fallen short.  We are revisiting our strategies to accomplish these two goals. 
• CERT member training for crowd and traffic control is in the planning stages and we hope to complete this by the end of the year.
• We have been providing regular (monthly) communications regarding our activities and opportunities for engagement. We discussed developing a one-page bilingual flyer for distribution at places like Glut, City Hall and other locations.  Looking for other ideas.

August 2023 Update

• Emergency Shelter: CERT will recommend to the City that Potts Hall be designated as an emergency shelter once renovation is completed.
• Walkie Talkies: CERT team members tested a new repeater, a booster for the walkie talkies.
• Finger printing and background checks: Available at the Bladensburg Police station (301 864 6080).  This is necessary to be eligible to be deployed by the County CERT.  The cost is $38 - $52, depending on the level of clearance, which the Mount Rainier CERT will reimburse.   
• Traffic Control Training: Anne Arundel County will be offering a certified Traffic Control Training in September.  Details to follow. Anyone interested are encouraged to attend. 
• Next Meeting: August 21st at 7:30 at the Police Station

July 2023 Update

June 26 Mount Rainier CERT Meeting Notes: 

• Budget: Notes from the June 12th Zoom meeting about Fiscal Year 2023 expenditures were reviewed. 
• Insurance Coverage: If deployed by the Police, Fire Department or City, local CERT members are covered by insurance as per a Memorandum of Understanding among the local jurisdictions (including North Brentwood, Brentwood, Colmar Manor, Cottage City and Mount Rainier).
• Communications: We discussed communications and tested our texting capabilities.  Melissa is preparing a texting list of all qualified responders in our group.  In the near future we’ll test this. We agreed to test the new Walkie Talkies on Tuesday, June 27, and to purchase a Repeater (signal booster) if the test revealed the need for one.
• Police Liaison: Lt. Sims, our liaison with the Police Dept., has left the force. We wish him well. A replacement has not yet been named.
• Background Checks: CERT responders deployed by the County require background check because criminals have taken advantage of others’ vulnerability as demonstrated during Hurricane Katrina and other disasters.  Melissa, Mark, and Tim are willing to do the checks as soon as they can be arranged.
• Next Meeting: Monday, July 24th at 7:30 pm at the Mount Rainier Police Station.

June 22 County CERT Meeting

• The Mount Rainier CERT Team hosted a Prince George’s County CERT meeting led by Rasheed Plummer, the County CERT Outreach Coordinator. 14 area CERT members from neighboring towns attended, including Mark and Melissa. Melissa noted several positive take-aways:  
  • Meeting and staying in touch with other CERT team members.
  • Learning why background checks are important.
  • Hearing from a County official who is passionate about CERT and committed to its expansion.
  • Learning that the County plans to provide more training opportunities such as Disaster Shelter Management and Traffic Control certifications.
  • Realizing that the County apparatus has a long way to go and needs our cooperation and help to achieve broad effectiveness.
  • The County is planning a “Mass Casualty Exercise” for October.  Details forthcoming.

June 2023 Update

• New Attendees: CERT welcomed four new attendees to our meeting, including CERT’s new city council liaison, Councilwoman Danielle Carter.
• University Park CERT: Melissa represented Mount Rainier CERT at University Park’s 5 K Run, and that resulted in establishing a connection.
• Mount Rainier Day: Several CERT volunteers worked at the 5k Run and had a table at the Mount Rainier Day festivities, where team members distributed more than 200 bottles of water to prevent heat exhaustion and passed out almost 300 first aid kits. Volunteers spoke about CERT to numerous passers-by and had 24 sign-ups for our distribution list.
• CERT leadership elections: Uncontested elections were held for the positions of Training Officer and Secretary.  Rachel and Mark agreed to serve for another year in these roles. Melissa presented them each with tokens of thanks for their service.
• Background checks: A background check is required of CERT responders to participate in county emergencies. The Mt. Rainier Police Department is willing to do this for us, but the concept was met with resistance.  This led to a brief discussion of our meeting location and the possibility of exploring other locations.
• Budget: CERT has $923.96 left in the budget.  Future expenditures include improved radio walkie-talkies, signage for events, reusable water bottles with CERT logo and website link that we can distribute at future events.
• Heat Illness Training: Melissa described the symptoms for the three increasingly severe stages of heat illness from cramps and spasms to exhaustion, paleness, vomiting, fainting, to heat stroke in which the body temperature rises to 103, and people experience dizziness, rapid pulse, no sweating, dryness, and skin turning red. Remedies include cooling down in the shade or if available air conditioning, an ice pack on back of neck, loosening and wetting the clothing, drinking water. Heat stroke annually results in the highest number of deaths of all weather-related calamities.  It effects the very young and the old the hardest. As a volunteer, anticipate the heat, wear light clothing, drink plenty, and limit high energy activities. A goal is to establish Cooling Station(s) in the City.
• Next Meeting: Monday, June 26th at 7:30pm

May 2023 Update

April 24th Meeting: Fairfax County CERT Leaders Jeff and Elvira presented on a range of topics:

• Coverage – it is important to clarify what CERT can and cannot do vis a vis insurance.
• Community Outreach - go where the people are – churches, rec centers, schools, business associations, police, and fire departments.  Conduct trainings at these locations. Know your audience and modify your message accordingly. Hand out pertinent supplies & info. “People love getting free stuff.” Align with other organizations.   Word of mouth is the best recruiting tool.
• Visibility - increase the organizations visibility as much as possible.
• CERT Connections - Contact other CERT organizations, who can offer assistance, answer questions, provide trainers; groups such as D.C. CERT (Frances Whalen), Montgomery County CERT, the CERT Consortium, TEEX (Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service)
• Planning - Prioritize activities; don’t over-extend.  Make a plan for the year ahead.
• Training – Check out Emmitsburg CERT Trainer Training and the University of Utah CERT online program. Those who are trained can train others in the community. Train as many people as possible on How To Take Care of Themselves in a disaster.  Keep reminding people of the importance of readiness.  “Try to make the learning ‘fun.’”
• Deployment - Self-deploy in an emergency.  First responders may be a long time in coming.  CERTs can fill that early gap. Devise a map of our town and have members assigned to a block or two each, ‘covering no more territory than they could push a wheelbarrow.’ Know what the most likely hazards are for our locale. Discuss/learn how to respond to these events. Plan for providing a ‘canteen service’ for first responders, providing food for them during an emergency. As we grow, develop our own Incident Command System, tailored to our situation.
• Track Volunteer Time - Keep track of the time spent volunteering.  This translates into monetary assistance for the entities we assist.
• Phone Tree - Develop a phone tree.  Use a system such as First Alert, VMS, Everbridge.  

April 2023 Update 

• March 27th Many Uses of Duct Tape Training: led by Missy Tuttle-Ferrio and Anita Van der Merwe, EMT’s from Fairfax County, the trainers framed the training by describing a disaster scenario and the steps involved in handling it, including how useful duct tape can be in developing a Command Chart that documents the details of a rescue operation. The Duct Tape Duo presented a method of quickly triaging victims, performing quick aids to persons in extreme distress, labeling the victims and bringing the info back to the Command Center so rescue teams can be efficiently dispatched.  They also demonstrated how duct tape can be used in making a splint, a tourniquet, a sling and a tight wrap to stop bleeding.  They illustrated the standard method of marking a building to show the status of victims inside, using duct tape.
• Mount Rainier Egg Hunt: CERT members will be staffing an emergency aid table at the Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 1st at the Mount Rainier Nature Center from 10:40am - 2pm. Please come join us!
• Deployment and Evacuation Plan Committees: The two committees have been formed and will start work to develop action plans for: 

1. Deployment in case of Emergencies including communication protocols and setting up a staging area tent.  Committee members are Karen, Melissa, Mark, and Tim.
2. Evacuation including traffic control, crowd management and dissemination of evacuation route maps. Committee members are Paul, Rachel, and Mark.

To get involved, email mrcert@googlegroups.com

April Meeting: April 24th at 7:30 at the Mount Rainier Police Station

March 2023 Update

• February 7th City Council Meeting: CERT President Melissa and Outreach Coordinator Karen presented to Mount Rainier City Council about CERT, our 2023 goals, and invited input on how best to recruit additional members. Great feedback was provided
• February 27th Narcan Training: Pamela Parvis trained 23 community members and area CERT members on how to use Narcan to reverse an opioid overdose. Check out these CDC Resources. You can request a virtual training from Prince George’s County here.
• Deployment and Evacuation Plan Committees: Two different committees will be set up to develop CERT Plans of Action for: 1. Deployment in case of Emergencies including communication protocols and setting up a staging area tent. 2. Evacuation including traffic control, crowd management and dissemination of evacuation route maps. To get involved, complete this survey.
• March Meeting: March 27th at 7:30pm at the Mount Rainier Police Station. Training Topic: Many uses of duct tape.

February 2023 Update

• Active Shooter Training – On January 7th, MR CERT hosted a successful Active Shooter Training led by Lieutenant Paul Simms from the Mount Rainier Police Department. 24 community members and guests attended the training.
• 2023 Planning – CERT leadership team met to establish 2023 goals and action plan. The goals are to:
• Establish collaboration with city, police, fire dept., and other area CERT teams.
• Have a CERT presence at a minimum of four public events with an emphasis on promoting CERT.
• Host one public training per quarter.
• Double CERT’s membership by the end of the year (from 5 to 10 lead responders; 10 support responders).
• Train up CERT team in two key protocols: 1. City evacuation procedures, and 2. Emergency Deployment procedures.
• CERT President Melissa reported on participating in the Mt. Rainier Emergency Planning group and encouraged them to include CERT in the City emergency plan.
• Area CERT team members from Upper Marlboro and Cheverly attended the meeting and offered tips and advice on how to accomplish M.R. CERT’s 2023 goals (see Los Angeles CERT web site, use Zello for emergency communications, review FEMA resources, and attend the Anne Arundel CERT traffic control training).