Will Receive Honors From Emergency Management Office
The Forest Hills/Rego Park Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) for Community Board 6 was honored with the “Excellence in Deployment and Emergency Response Award” from the city’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM).
The award recognizes a community emergency response team that has demonstrated a strong history of deploying for planned and unplanned events and excellence in response to emergencies in the past two years.
Led by Team Chief Heidi Harrison Chain and Deputy Chief Barbara Stuchinski, the Forest Hills/Rego Park CERT will receive the award at a ceremony in Manhattan in June at the graduation of the next CERT class.
“On behalf of our CERT team, we are very honored that the efforts of the members of our team are being recognized and we thank each of our team members for their efforts and time spent helping others,” Chain and Stuchinski said in a press release.
The Forest Hills/Rego Park CERT team was trained by the city. Team members participated in a 10-week training program in disaster preparedness and basic emergency response skills taught by active and retired members of the Police and Fire departments.
After completing training that includes lessons in fire safety, search and rescue, first aid and triage, the team helped in the community and throughout the city when needed. Forest Hills/Rego Park CERT members have given presentations at senior centers, schools, and apartment buildings and have held forums on emergency preparedness for the community.
The team also gave out literature at street fairs and the 112th Precinct’s National Night Out Against Crime; the CERT also holds a September preparedness fair.
The Forest Hills/Rego Park CERT was very active after Hurricane Sandy, assessing the damage in our community and helping at the shelters. In addition, the team helped run the donation center working with the NYPD to obtain donations of needed supplies for the victims of Sandy.
The team also was active in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, the macroburst/tornado of September 2010 and after recent snowstorms.
Another example of the team’s efforts was during the search for Avonte Oquendo, when, at the request of the NYPD, team members were at the local subways and railroad stations distributing information.
Most recently, the team members assisted in the victim family center following the East Harlem gas explosion.
The Forest Hills/Rego Park CERT has a Facebook page which provides updates on safety and preparedness information; visit www.facebook.com/cb6QueensCERT).
CERT team members are available to talk to community groups, apartment building, block associations and other organizations. Anyone interested in having a presentation about how they can best prepare or anyone interested in joining our CERT team to be trained in the fall can call Community Board 6 at 1-718-263-9250.
