It is the vision of this volunteer organization that Pleasant Hill CERT is manned, trained, and equipped to spontaneously respond to disasters in the Pleasant Hill community within the scope of our CERT focus and training. To date, Pleasant Hill has over 350 residents trained in the Community Emergency Response Team principles of preparation for disasters and response to disasters. Three CERT trai
ning courses are offered annually with additional training offered to CERT graduates each quarter where they can refresh and reinforce their skills and learn new disaster response related subjects. Annually, Pleasant Hill graduates participate in a city-wide exercise to learn how to set-up an Incident Command Post, how to manage CERT Team's response to a disaster area, and to refresh their response skills. Upon completion of a CERT training course, graduates are introduced to the CERT Area Coordinator who has geographic responsibility for the area where the new graduate resides. CERT Area Coordinators hold monthly meetings in the evening to introduce the new graduates to other CERT members residing in their respective CERT Area. Overseeing CERT activities in Pleasant Hill is a Steering Committee composed of Administrative, Planning, Operations, Logistics, and Community Outreach committees. The Steering Committee has developed a 5 Year Plan that establishes objectives and milestones for developing our collective ability to respond effectively to a disaster that affects Pleasant Hill. Following a disaster, CERT members take care of themselves and their family first. Once their family situation is stabilized and under control, the CERT members reach out to assist their neighbors. Once the neighborhood situation has been assessed, CERT members then report to their Assembly Areas to help establish an Incident Command Post, help manage an organized response to areas in need, or to respond to those areas as needed. For more information, contact Jim Bonato at (925) 938-5433 or [email protected].
