Grays Harbor- Auxiliary Volunteer Emergency Response Team
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What We Do
Who we are
Welcome to the non-profit page for Grays Harbor Auxiliary Emergency Response Team! We are citizen volunteers who are CERT trained and work with local fire and police departments throughout Grays Harbor County. We DO NOT work directly with the county emergency managers office. We are sponsored by the local departments that we work with as auxiliary volunteer groups. We are also recognized by the State CERT Coordinator and FEMA.
What we do
We work with our local agencies to assist as needed in information tables, traffic control for events, beach first aid booths on the 4th of July, and help during disasters. We also get to do coats for kids with the department in October as well as take part in National Night Out. We delivered food during the Covid shut-down and we ran warming shelters during the ice storm. We are the helping hands our departments need from time to time.
Building A Safer Community
Are you prepared for a small or large disaster? Do you know how to help your family, neighbors and community if a major disaster should occur? Would you like to learn some new skills or perhaps refresh some of the skills you may already learned for disasters? Grays Harbor Auxiliary Volunteer Emergency Response Team would like to invite you to attend our upcoming CERT class! This class is a fun and interactive combination of instructor led and hands on training that teaches the skills need in time of a disaster.
How can you be better prepared?
The best way to help in your community is to be prepared. Pack a "go bag" for each person and your pets if you have to evacuate your home. Have at least two weeks supplies of food, water, medications and basic needs in case you are cut off from services and asked to remain in your home. Have a plan. Do your family members know meet up locations? Do you have an out of area contact that everyone knows to check in with in the event of a major disaster? Do you have a well stocked first aid kit in your home and vehicle? Plan today for your possible needs of tomorrow. It is always better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Here are some tips and items to help you get started on the road to preparedness...
If you were told right this moment to grab a bag and leave your home within 5 minutes could you? Do you know what to pack? Did you forget important information???? Well there are many things we would love to take but in a rush we may forget what we actually need. Packing a :GO" bag is vital to you and each person in your family. You can visit Ready.gov for more info but here are some tips to help you get started.
1) Each person (and pet) in the family needs a backpack or duffel bag
2) take photos of all the rooms in your home and your valuables. Store them on a flash drive, hard copy etc. and keep them in your bag.
3) scan your important documents onto a flash drive to keep in your bag.
driver license
deed to house
Will
insurance
medical records/medication list
passport
ssi info
birth certificate
personal contacts
your pets medical records
This is all very personal information so keep it as secure as you possibly can when you are storing your copies of these things. Never trust your information to be held by someone else.
4) add essential items to your bag to help you get through a few days. Water, non-perishable food, hygiene needs, first aid needs, flashlight, batteries, clothes, boots, pet supplies, diapers etc.
5) pet crate AND leash ... pets get scared and will run no matter how much they love you, fear can take over. Having a secure crate for them with a toy and a blanket will help them stay safe and a bit less scared.
6) cash (ATMs may not work during a disaster.)
7) Glasses/contacts
8) Misc items:
whistle to signal for help
dust mask
moist towelettes, garbage bags/plastic bags for personal sanitation
wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
manual can opener
maps
cell phone, charger and battery charger backups
fire extinguisher
waterproof matches
paper cups/plate, knife, fork, spoon
sleeping bag
9) make yourself a list of the last second things you would need to grab in the event of an emergency. DO NOT wait until there is an emergency to search for things. PRE-PLAN!!
