CERTIFIED!: Several Temescal Valley residents received their Community Emergency Response Team certification at an October CERT class.

The county Emergency Management Department (EMD), has devoted resources for the formation of a Disaster Response Team (DRT), for Temescal Valley.

Why? We all chose to live here, a narrow valley with no east-west exits and only one north-south roadway in addition to the I-15. We’re surrounded by lush vegetation – easy fuel for wildfires, and we sit on top of the Elsinore Fault Zone, capable of a 7.5 earthquake. The epicenter of its largest recorded tremblor, a magnitude 6.0 in 1910, was in Temescal Valley.

If disaster strikes, we must be able to take care of ourselves and our families, and be prepared to assist our neighbors, as well. That’s what Disaster Response Team training teaches. The team will meet quarterly for training, and team members also are on-call if needed by county EMD.

There are prerequisites before volunteers can be sworn-in as a Disaster Service Worker, but the time invested in this free program will be well worth it when disaster strikes.

Applicants must have Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), training. CERT classes are a commitment of 20 hours over three days — usually  Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday.

Potential team members must also fill out an application and take four FEMA online courses. The application cannot be submitted until the FEMA courses are completed, but can be submitted prior to CERT certification. Applicants also must have a no-cost background check.

Temescal Valley DRT now has over 20 potential members who are working toward the prerequisites. The majority are residents of Horsethief Canyon Ranch and Wildrose Ranch, but Sycamore Creek, The Retreat and Dawson Canyon also are represented. The goal is to have team members from every community in Temescal Valley.