CERT In Action!
Escambia County, Fla. CERT Tackles Beach Cleanup
The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has many gulf communities concerned about oil accumulating on local shores. During the weekend of April 30, 2010, the Escambia County, Fla. CERT assisted in the management of a volunteer cleanup aimed at removing debris from Pensacola and Perdido beaches, in case any oil does seep onto its shores.
Eighteen Escambia County CERT members helped transport supplies, as well as register and manage the almost 1,000 volunteers who gathered to clear the beaches of manmade trash and debris. “Clearing manmade debris from beaches before the oil arrives lessens the amount of contaminated material,” said Maralee Sartain, CERT coordinator.
During the planning phases of the fast-paced weekend, CERT volunteers helped set up a volunteer reception center to pre-register citizens for the event. “Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and CERT members were instrumental in assisting with registration of volunteers on our two local beaches,” said Sartain. She added that the collaboration and cooperation of CERT, along with the Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies (BRACE), United Way of Escambia County (UWEC), Escambia County Citizen Corps Volunteer Leadership, Escambia Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) coalition members, and MRC, were essential to the effective utilization of local volunteers.
At the May CERT class graduation, BRACE presented CERT, MRC, and VISTA volunteers with a certificate of appreciation for their tremendous efforts.
For more information, please contact Maralee Sartin at brace@bereadyalliance.org