Are you interested in learning more about emergency preparedness? Have you ever wanted to do more to help others on campus or in your community during an emergency? Would you like to be involved with helping evacuate a building on campus during a drill and/or an actual fire alarm or assisting others during a Shelter-in-Place event?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may be interested in a new College-wide opportunity led by the Office of Emergency Management and Planning (OEMP) to recruit and train faculty and staff to become Campus – Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT) volunteers (C-CERT is in addition to the College’s current building and floor warden programs). Per Executive Order 41, Governor McDonnell approved twenty hours of work time for any state employees who wish to become C-CERT volunteers. http://www.governor.virginia.gov/PolicyOffice/ExecutiveOrders/viewEO.cfm?eo=41
The C-CERT program will cover topics such as: disaster preparedness, fire safety, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, terrorism awareness, and more. At the end of the training, each person will receive a backpack filled with items to help assist in an emergency.
C-CERT classes will be held from 12:30 – 4:30 beginning March 7th and will run every other week until June 27th . All classes (with the exception of the two in April) will be held at the College’s 7630 Little River Turnpike (Pitney Bowes) location. If you are interested in signing up to become a C-CERT volunteer you must first get your supervisor’s permission. Also, you must commit to attend all nine sessions.
Below is the C-CERT job description. If you are interested in taking part in the College’s C-CERT opportunity, please contact oemp@nvcc.edu to sign up or for more information.
Job Title: Campus Community and Emergency Response Team (C-C.E.R.T.) Member Service Area: NOVA Campuses Goal or Purpose of the C-CERT Team Member: This position provides non-emergency and emergency evacuation and shelter-in-place support within NOVA’s Emergency Operations Plan to faculty, staff, students, and visitors affected by disasters on NOVA’s campuses and centers. Major Responsibilities:- Assist with special needs evacuation
- Assist building and floor wardens with general evacuation & shelter-in-place processes
- Provide assistance at State Shelter and State Transfer Point if necessary
- Community relations/distribution of emergency information to the public
- Participate in drills and exercises
- Participate in training and preparedness activities
- Support for Emergency Management at College events
- Emergency preparedness
- Excellent listening skills
- Reliable with the ability to remain calm during a crisis
- Successful completion of mandatory training
- Gain emergency management skills/experience
- Achieve a great sense of personal accomplishment