LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — North Coast Opportunities’ Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, in Lake County has entered into a formal mutual aid memorandum of understanding with the Lake County Public Health Department, effective July 1.

This new collaboration creates a reciprocal partnership: NCO CERT Instructors will provide disaster preparedness and emergency response training to Lake County Public Health Public Health staff, while Public Health will offer training to CERT volunteers to support vaccine clinics and public health emergency response, including future pandemics.

The partnership is already in action — NCO CERT Instructors Dennis Burke (Project Coordinator III) and Lead Volunteer Duell Parks recently conducted training for Public Health staff on fire suppression and fire extinguisher use. 

Public Health-led training for CERT volunteers is set to begin soon and will include topics such as handling toxic and hazardous materials during emergencies.

Lake County Public Health is also investing $15,000 to support several CERT programs. This funding will expand outreach through:

• Preparedness Program Awareness for Seniors, or PPAS, offering disaster readiness resources, go-bags and smoke detectors to vulnerable seniors;
• A brand-new TEEN CERT Program launching in a local high school — Lake and Mendocino Counties’ first;
• Continued disaster pet preparedness outreach;
• Completion of ham radio installations in Lake County CERT disaster trailers, including solar power systems.

NCO said this milestone was made possible through the dedication of Public Health staff and NCO’s Dennis Burke, Amanda Samson (Project Coordinator I) and Program Manager Yvett Reeve, who championed the project through months of planning and coordination.

“This partnership strengthens our ability to serve Lake County through coordinated response and proactive preparedness,” said Reeve.

North Coast Opportunities Inc. is a nonprofit community action agency serving Lake and Mendocino counties, with additional programs in Humboldt, Sonoma, Del Norte, Napa and Solano counties.