Lambertville Establishes Community Emergency Response Team After Ida's Destruction

LAMBERTVILLE, NJ — Mayor Julia Fahl and the Office of Emergency Management recently announced a new initiative designed to support first responders and aid community members during disasters.

The Community Emergency Response Team program will train people to respond to emergency situations in their communities.

"When citizens report an emergency, they expect that help will arrive immediately," a representative wrote in a news release. "Yet in the event of a major disaster, Lambertville's first responders can potentially be overwhelmed with the number of individual emergencies. Not only will they need to respond to emergencies associated with the disaster, but they will also need to continue responding to their regular emergency calls."

The goal of the new program is to prepare citizens to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours, in the event that other crises are more urgent, emergency systems are overwhelmed, and help cannot arrive quickly.

"When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site," the city detailed in the release. "CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community."

Community Emergency Response Training is a nationwide initiative, using a course that provides citizens with basic training in disaster preparedness and response. The program involves both classroom learning and hands-on training.

Those interested in becoming volunteer CERT members must be at least 18 years old. To receive an application or ask questions, community members can contact the Office of Emergency Management at lambertvilleoem@lambertvillenj.org or (609) 397-3132.

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