Prep for the Next Superstorm with the Community Emergency Response Team

You never know when a little help can make a big difference. Yorktown’s Community Emergency Response Team made a big difference in the lives of many people who were without power for more than a week after Hurricane Sandy.

“We were formed back in September of 2012, right before “Super Storm” Sandy hit, and it was a good thing we were,” said CERT member Rich DeLayo. “During the 10 or so days after the storm much of Westchester was in darkness. We opened a temporary shelter in the YCCC and served a steady stream (hundreds) of residents, many of whom stayed overnight.

“The team was the brain child of Officer Larry Eidelman, who is the Yorktown Emergency Services Officer and is trained in CERT operations and Emergency Services. He was looking to form a team to lighten the load on the PD during situations just like Sandy, and through his training and foresight, along with a ton of luck with his timing, Yorktown was a standout in Westchester for how we handled the fallout from the storm.”

CERT invites the public to come learn more at its next meeting, 7:30 p.m. Sept 8 at the YCCC (enter by the Yorktown Stage).

No special skills are needed to join—just be 18 or older.

“Our main function at this time is running the shelter when the situation calls for it but we are looking to grow the team and see if there is an opportunity to reach out into the community to help folks prepare for emergencies as opposed to only being there after the fact,” DeLayo said.

You can also follow the Yorktown CERT on Facebook.