CERT trains people what to do while waiting for first responders to arrive

Dan Starcher
·2 min read

Although Capt. Doug Hunter is retired from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, his desire to keep citizens safe is working overtime.

Before his July retirement, Hunter agreed to establish a Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) to help first responders during a crisis. Now that it is running, he seeks individuals to join the all-volunteer corps.

Speaking to the Wooster Rotarians at a recent meeting, Hunter urged people to get involved and take advantage of the free training because anyone at anytime could be the first person to arrive at an emergency.

“Private companies can send safety officers to participate in this program,” Hunter said. “During our inaugural class, a representative from Green Fox Plastics attended. He is now certified and can take this knowledge back to the company. He is prepared in case there is ever an emergency.”

Retired Wayne County Sheriff Capt. Doug Hunter holds a vest provided by the Sheriff’s Office. A local first-responding agency must sponsor CERT teams; in Wayne County, it operates under the umbrella of the Sheriff’s Office.
Retired Wayne County Sheriff Capt. Doug Hunter holds a vest provided by the Sheriff’s Office. A local first-responding agency must sponsor CERT teams; in Wayne County, it operates under the umbrella of the Sheriff’s Office.

Hunter stressed people are under no obligation once the training is complete. While there is no obligation, those so inclined may volunteer to help first-response teams during parades, races, festivals and other significant events.

'This class is about being prepared'

“This isn’t just a local thing. CERT is a nationally recognized program that began in the 1980s to prepare individuals to respond in emergencies,” Hunter said. “I’m not talking about doing the work of paramedics, fireme, or law enforcement officers. CERT members will not enter a burning building or drive a police car. This class is about being prepared if you are in an emergency and become the first responder. It is about having additional training to feel comfortable knowing what to do until first responders arrive.”

Hunter said CERT personnel complete 12 hours of online training and, depending on the size of the class, 16 hours of hands-on training to become certified. Training is tailored to classes about the types of emergency incidents most likely to occur in Wayne County.

The inaugural class of local CERT volunteers poses in front of a firetruck in 2023 after completing their required hands-on training at the Wayne County Fire and Rescue Association in Apple Creek. They are Jerry Stroup, left, Bill Knauf, Steve Penrod, Brenda Murphy, Doug Hunter, Alex Angus, Brandon Ferrell, Eric Mast, Sheriff Travis Hutchinson and Joyce Forrer.

“You are not very likely to have a tsunami here,” Hunter said. “So there is no training for that. However, we will likely have flooding, fires, and tornadoes, so we tailor the training to those disasters.”

CERT volunteers contribute to a community’s social fabric by fostering unity, compassion, and mutual support among its members. They provide essential services that might otherwise be lacking. Moreover, volunteers inspire others to get involved.

Anyone interested may take the online portion of the training and attend the next hands-on class when there is sufficient interest. There is no cost for the certification. Contact Hunter at cert@wcsohio.org<mailto:cert@wcsohio.org> for more information.

Dan Starcher is the Public Communications coordinator for Wayne County.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Wayne County CERT training is online and hands-on; sign up now