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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] CERT is unofficial and probably will stay that way

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  • From: "Jorene Downs" <Jorene@CEOates.com>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] CERT is unofficial and probably will stay that way
  • Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 23:24:58 -0700

I have sources across the country in Emergency Management, etc., up to State level, who indicate that trained, affiliated volunteer organizations such as SAR and CERT - with background checks, ID, NIMS compliant, etc. - are being activated and deployed. The key is apparently an appropriate affiliation with a recognized authority / agency to have call-out status. Across the country this affiliation is commonly with LE or Fire, sometimes through local Emergency Management.
 
In CA all authorized SAR is affiliated with the County Sheriff, and our SAR mutual aid is coordinated at the State OES level, LE Branch. CA CERT programs with deployable personnel are normally managed by Fire or LE, and commonly are organized with volunteer management structure. It isn't unusual to see CA volunteer CERT uniform shirts at a state or national conference indicating Battalion Chief or some other title.
 
So it appears that whether CERT (and SAR) is unofficial or official depends on the operational area / state, and perhaps also how that team is affiliated.
 
The topic of coverage for trained, affiliated volunteers was a presentation a few weeks ago at the National Emergency Preparedness Conference. In CA all affiliated SAR and CERT are recognized under the state's Disaster Service Worker program, covered for authorized response and training. (Since part of CERT training is specific to providing aid at an incident in front of you, that is also legally considered covered in CA ... with CERT-trained personnel acting within the scope of their training.) Many states have similar Disaster Service Worker-type programs. From what Irv indicates, apparently PA does not.
 
~ ~ ~ ~
Jorene Downs
SAR & CERT
Mounted SAR
www.ceoates.com/msar 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 10:13 PM
Subject: [MSAR] CERT is unofficial and probably will stay that way

A recent gathering of preparedness people meeting informally reported that they couldn’t use CERT in their community because they were not authorized to be enrolled in any official program. Without enrollment as part of the emergency response program they would be acting either entirely on their own, without any control by the authorities, and they would not be entitled to any workman’s comp or PSODB, even if under the loose direction of officials. Under the PA Fire and Panic Act a fire chief can commandeer resources but the township may not be responsible for them depending on how the fire protection agreement is written between the volunteer fire company and the town. The federal PSODB program does not recognize CERT specifically and only covers peace officers, fire suppression, rescue, and EMS personnel directly employed by a government.  There is an effort to include contract wildfire personnel, such as pilots and machine operators, in the program.    

 

This apparently also affects VOAD groups and other NGOs where their members are not government responders.  Some counties are enrolling personnel but most are not due to lack of control over their activities.  This creates an interesting limbo area for many SAR organizations which are not part of a government agency. As an NGO they must provide their own insurance and try to qualify as a responder or other emergency service type to qualify for legislated benefits.  

 

Irv Lichtenstein




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