Watertown Will Create a Community Emergency Response Team

Watertown needs a few good residents to help out in case of emergency.

Fire Chief Mario Orangio said he will soon create a community emergency response team, or CERT, and he will seek town residents to volunteer to be part of the team.

Other communities have CERTs, and use them for a variety of duties, Orangio said.

"In Arlington, when we had the water emergency ... When they set up the water distribution site their CERT team distributed the water," Orangio said. "In Belmont, they helped search for a missing child - going around knocking on doors."

Some CERTs become highly trained, such as the one in Beverly which went down to Florida to help out after a natural disaster, he added.

Watertown's CERT will be created after the town hires an assistant emergency management director. As part of helping the Fire Chief fulfill his duties as Watertown's emergency management director, the assistant will oversee the CERT, Orangio said.

Orangio has received applications for the assistant position, and will soon begin interviewing applicants.

Those hoping to be part of the CERT will have to undergo some training and will undergo a CORI check, Orangio said.