CERT Academy Graduates – August 2018

Congratulations and a warm welcome to the 60 new CERT Academy graduates and thank each of you for showing up and digging in to the weekend. We all learned a lot and had some fun and met some new friends while we were at it.
And a HUGE thanks to all the CERT Members who met and planned in the days and weeks before the Academy helped make this terrific event possible and then during the four days at JFTB, Los Alamitos. The Team came out in force over the entire weekend to support the Academy and made it one of the best we have held.

The registration team lead by Jeanette Vella did a terrific job of getting the attendees to the Academy, checked in and out, and all the other administrative tasks needed to keep the records straight. Our Team instructors, Kris Moscowitz, Ed Fleming, and our dynamic physician team of Dr. Michell Ryan and Dr. Joe Horejsi who held pre-academy meetings to ensure the CERT Members helping with medical portions of the Academy were all on the same page and knew the high points to cover.

The Seal Beach Trailer Team lead by Ray Vella and Dave Atkins were there to support the Academy each day and the La Palma Trailer Team of Kris Moscowitz and Willie Ortega were on scene to assist with the final exercise. Of course, the Team shutter bugs Pat and Roberta O’Toole along with Art Remnet were snapping away. How does that go, if it isn’t recorded, it didn’t happen?

And it all starts with our coordinators Ed Fleming, Julia Clasby, Loree Erpelding, Ellen Lopez, Dan Brandt, and Aaron France who pulled together the facilities, logistics, and resources we needed. And we tip our hats and give thanks to the outside experts who shared their insights with the Academy: JFTB/Los Alamitos Fire; Robert Acosta, OCFA; OCFA Buena Park; the CARE EMTs (both Saturdays), Dr. Heather Williams, OCSD; and Josh Goldmark, OCIAC. And we appreciate the assistance of the JFTB command staff who allowed us to use their facilities.

In support and appreciation of the CERT program, each of the six cities comprising West County CERT was on hand to congratulate our latest Academy Graduates: Chief Rod Cox, Cypress; Chief Terry Kim, La Palma; Asst City Manager Buena Park Aaron France; Sgt Mike Henderson, Seal Beach; Sgt Kain Gallaugher, Los Alamitos; and Chief Ralph Ornelas, Westminster.

And to make our final exercise possible, the make-up artistry and skills of Marie Sorenson and the willing victims/actors Explorers from Seal Beach, Buena Park, and Orange were amazing.

The August 2018 CERT Academy Graduates

If you are interested in joining one of our upcoming CERT Academy programs or just want to find out more about CERT in your area, please let us know. You can find out more about the CERT Academy here or sign up for our CERT Academy notification list here.
 

Please note: the danger in thanking people by name is someone always gets left out. We appreciate everyone who helped make this Academy so terrific. If your name should have been listed, please accept our apologies.