Downers Grove Township says – “Always Be Prepared”

What would you do in an emergency? That would depend on the emergency. If it’s community wide, Downers Grove Township already knows what it will do. The Township’s Highway Department is a part of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) that was launched in September 2003 by Milton Township. CERT is an all-volunteer community trained and equipped organization that is dedicated to responding to and meeting the needs of citizens during a disaster. As a Township, we understand the value of working with community partners and other governmental bodies to respond to the needs of residents. When it comes to emergency preparedness, having proper training makes all the difference. Part of that training is exercises that help volunteers practice skills learned through training. Members of the Highway Department who are CERT volunteers, along with the Highway Commissioner and Township Supervisor, participated in one such exercise on January 25, 2017.

Forty-two volunteers from across the county came together and from 9:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and walked the more remote areas of the forest preserves and prairie pathway in western DuPage County. The intent of the exercise was to see if any of the homeless were sheltering in the area. If any volunteer located someone, they were to approach them and determine if they were hungry and see if they were willing to go to a shelter. Eight miles of prairie path were covered from Roosevelt Road in Wheaton to Farnsworth Avenue in North Aurora during the exercise. The results: no one was located during the exercise, underscoring the fact that PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter) throughout DuPage County is overflowing with those without homes.

Downers Grove Township is committed to helping our residents in ways that are efficient and cost effective. These types of partnerships accomplish this through shared resources, particularly in community wide emergencies. Our Highway Department is to be commended for being a part of this valuable volunteer network. Their time and energy to this commitment demonstrates their dedication to our residents.