Kids Emergency Backpack Giveaway

On August 21st, Bob George, Citizen Corps and CERT Program Manager, and Marny McLee, Citizen Corps and CERT Training and Outreach Coordinator, attended a Kids Emergency Backpack Giveaway at the park on DuPont & Second Street in Wilmington.  Citizen Corps provided the backpacks and supplies, which were handed out by the Wilmington EOC/Citizen Corps, Red Cross, Delmarva Power and the Wilmington Department of Parks and Recreation as part of their Summer Feeding Program. Approximately seventy kids aged five through twelve attended the event, along with their parents and grandparents.

Bob George also interviewed with DelawareOnline, which is available here.

Barclay Farms CERT Class

On July 11th and 12th, the State Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), lead by Bob George and Marny McLee, presented a CERT training course at the Barclay Farms Senior Community in Camden, DE.  Forty block captains and residents attended the two day disaster preparedness class. The point of contact was Sally Bowman.

92 year old resident Mrs. Messemer gets last minute fire extinguisher training from CERT instructor Capt J. David Majewski of the Goodfellow Fire Co, in preparation the Digital Fire Suppression Exercise.

Faith Based Planning Workshop

On June 18, Delaware Citizen Corps and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) partnered with the Governor's Council on Faith Based Organizations to conduct their first Emergency Preparedness conference/workshop. The Governor attended the workshop, as did the President's appointed Faith Based representative, Rev. David L. Myers. Rep. Myers is the Senior Advisor to the Administrator/Director of the  FEMA/DHS Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships. Forty faith leaders from around the state attended, as well as Gov. council members Chairman Rev. Doug Gerdts and workshop coordinators Flora McConkie (council secretary) and Marny McLee (Citizen Corps Training and Outreach Coordinator).

Gov. Markel presents Rev. Tom Edwards of St. Mark's United Methodist Church with a Citizen Corps Disaster/Emergency Kit. Also pictured is Rev. Doug Gerdts, Gov. Council Chairman (left) and Robert George, Citizen Corps Program Manager (right).

Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Training

On June 11th and 12th, the State Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), lead by Bob George (CERT Program Manager) and Marny McLee (CERT Coordinator), taught a training course for the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. Thirty four councilors, social workers, managers, and staff took the two day training at the Herman Holloway Campus in New Castle.  This was the fourth CERT class taught for DSAMH. The point of contact was Jessica Washer.

Wilmington Office of Emergency Management Director George Giles teaches the Fire Suppression Module

Citizen Corps Disaster Preparedness Night at the Blue Rocks

On May 23rd, the Delaware Citizens Corps, Wilmington and New Castle County Offices of Emergency Management and Citizen Corps Councils will sponsor a "Disaster Preparedness Night" at Frawley Stadium in Wilmington. Game time is at 7:05 P.M. The goal of the evening is to raise awareness for emergency preparedness. There will be an outfield preparedness sign, nine Citizen Corps Disaster Kit give-a-ways, and preparedness announcements. There will also be games shown on the Jumbo-Tron and outreach material table displays. In addition to "Disaster Preparedness Night", there will also be  fireworks following the game. Citizen Corps Training and Outreach Coordinator and Retired Air Force Veteran, Marny McLee Sr., will sing the National Anthem.

The event is also in partnership with the American Red Cross, Public Health Preparedness Section, and the Medical Reserve Corps.  Delaware Citizens Corps is a Department of Homeland Security Program run by Bob George, Program Manager for the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.

Medical Reserve Corps CERT Class

On Apr 11th and 12th, the State Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), led by Bob George and Marny McLee, conducted a CERT training class for the Delaware and Christiana Care Medical Reserve Corps. Approximately twenty-five volunteers attended the class, which was held at the Christiana Hospital. Justin Kates, past Delaware Citizen Corps Contractor and now City of Nashua, New Hampshire's Emergency Management Director, was in town and stopped by to teach the fire suppression and cribbing modules.  The coordinators and points of contact for the class were Ingrid Hansen of the Delaware Medical Reserve Corps, and P. Jane Walmsley of the Christiana Care Medical Reserve Corps.

Spring Arbor Community Preparedness Training

On March 28th and 29th, Bob George, Citizen Corps/CERT Program Manager, and Marny McLee, Citizen Corps/CERT Training and Outreach Coordinator, led the State Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in presenting a Training Class in Middletown.  The course was held at the Spring Arbor 55+ Active Senior Community. The point of contact for the course was Kathy Dahle. Due to inclement weather, the class was unable to go outside to traning on fire suppression or our cribbing exercises. But this being a CERT preparedness course, the team was prepared with a backup plan and utilized their new, electronic digital fire suppression machine for the training instead.