CERT Helps Protect Town

The local community now has a team of community volunteers to assist in emergency situations, along with a mobile trailer stocked with supplies when they respond.

The Community Emergency Response Team (aka MIAMMO CERT), a coalition between the towns of Amherst, Milford, Mont Vernon and Lyndeborough, has volunteers assist police, fire and medical personnel during catastrophic emergencies, such as a tornado or flood.

The Amherst Select Board adopted the manual for the volunteer group at a meeting in late June, and the CERT team is now activated to assist the town.

According to EMS Director and CERT advisor Brian Gleason, members are trained to focus on areas such as traffic control, wellness checks, and handing out water, which will allow emergency responders to better focus on their duties.

“It is a huge support network, but we consider ourselves part of the team,” said Gleason.

The CERT trailer is stocked with items including traffic safety cones, barricades, minor first aid equipment and high visibility safety vests that will allow the volunteers to effectively respond to various situations.

Gleason said there are 25 active volunteers from the four towns, but Amherst can use the emergency trailer for less dire situations since it has taken the lead in funding the program.

A Volunteer NH grant of $4,750 was given to fund volunteer education and the trailer with supplies, which remain in Amherst until it is needed elsewhere. Gleason said he hopes to get the grant renewed each year, since his town registered and insures the trailer.

Amherst Fire Chief Mark Boynton said that his predecessor, Rick Todd, had initiated the program, but progress stalled after his retirement. Boynton joined Gleason to revive CERT, having worked with a similar group called the Keene Area Radio Emergency Squad during his 20 years in Keene.

He said this civilian component of the Keene Police Department was a huge help during events such as the annual pumpkin festival, fairs, and emergencies like the 2005 flood that tore through the area.

“There is a ton of important stuff they can do and free up emergency responders to do other things,” said Boynton.

There are no physical requirements to join CERT, but volunteers must attend the training sessions that are held monthly.

Katherine Lockwood serves on the Amherst EMS and, along with her husband James, is an instructor for the CERT team. She said many residents and former emergency responders are excited to have a way to keep the town safe.

“The people are energetic,” she said. “We have people that have been fire and ambulance people in the past and still want to stay involved.”

Boynton said these volunteers will not be put into dangerous situations like a structure fire or dealing with a seriously injured patient.

There is a meeting this month for CPR training, but no meetings in August due to the amount of traveling people tend to do during that month. Training will resume in September with First Aid lessons.

For more information on how to join, contact Brian Gleason at 673-7030 or Mark Boynton at 673-1545, ext 201.

MIAMMO CERT 2011 Members:
Katherine Lockwood (Instructor)
James Lockwood (Instructor)
Steve Adams
George Coddington
Thomas Geis
Roland Gilbert
Jane Heineke
Gil Hulme
Gene Kuczewski
Bob Petrella
Candice Raft
Peter Viscarola
Bernard Cass
Susan Cuddy
Philip Gendron
Roberta Hasselbrack
Don Holden
Bob Kokko
Brad Maxwell
George Murphy
Mike Thornton
Robert Schamann (Honorary member)