Airboat CERT ALERT

[Anonymous]

Airboat CERT ALERT
Tropical Storm / Hurricane Katrina

According to the National Hurricane Center the storm "could dump 6 to 12 inches of rain on the state, with some spots getting up to 20 inches."
The Florida Airboat Association is currently registered and on-call with the Volusia, Lake, Seminole, Orange, Marion and Union counties and the State Office of Emergency Management, Tallahassee
Those interested in volunteering and responding to flooding emergencies please contact the Florida Airboat Association at:
florida_airboat_assoc@usa.com
863-398-0229

 

[basketcase0302]

Waterlizard,

Down here Collier county has a C.E.R.T. group also. When inquiring into it...cost was 35.00 a year to be a member. All fuel used for such efforts not to be reimbursed?

Don't make sense to me?

Basketcase

 

[c chardt]

It's called lending a helping hand some times

 

[Anonymous]

Down here Collier county has a C.E.R.T. group also. When inquiring into it...cost was 35.00 a year to be a member. All fuel used for such efforts not to be reimbursed?
Don't make sense to me?
Basketcase

I am aware of the Collier group to which you refer. In reality, they are NOT C.E.R.T.. In their own words, their name is F.A.R.T. (Florida Action Response Team). They are an independent group under the direction of Sam Culp. The Collier County F.A.R.T. is NOT affiliated with the Florida Airboat Association.
Regarding reimbursement for expenses: That is why it is called volunteer work. However, we at the Florida Airboat Association are working on that issue. Every now and then we have to reach out and help our fellow man who has been stricken by misfortune.

WaterLizard 8)

 

[SwampMatt]

-

 

[Anonymous]

Matt,
Believe me the F.A.R.T. name was not my idea! :?
The organization's founder is quite proud of it, but honestly, I think it speaks for the organization. Regarding the Florida Airboat Association's Airboat CERT project please go the the FAA's website at: http://www.flairboat.com
The "C" in CERT stands for citizen - Citizen Emergency Response Team. CERT is funded by FEMA and is part of Homeland Security. Airboat CERT involvement and training will be done through a variety of agencies depending upon your location and community. The FAA Airboat CERT in Polk County is being organized under the Polk County Sheriff's Office Citizen Corps Council, funded by the Florida Office of Emergency Management.
It is important that your local Airboat CERT team be recognized and be a part of your local Office of Emergency Management and Sheriff's office. You do not want to go to the effort of getting all of the training and never be called out. It is like getting all dressed up and having no place to go. If you are trained and prepared you want to be utilized. Therefore you and your group MUST be recognized by your local authorities - office of emergency management, Sheriff's office, fire-rescue department.
For more information on Airboat CERT, contact the Florida Airboat Association at: florida_airboat_assoc@usa.com or contact your local airboat club leaders.
Yes, Matt there is and will be "formal" training, not "OJT - volunteering."
Again, visit the FAA website for further information. Also, as previously posted on this site, there is free "on-line" training available for those who are interested and formal CERT training is currently taking place at Fantasy of Flight, near Polk City off I-4.

WaterLizard 8)

Waterlizard - If I did not believe that you speak the truth about that Collier Co. F.A.R.T. - I'd have told you that was a great joke!!! Too funny!

Somewhere I read that for CERT volunteering, you get training. I assumed that it meant FORMAL organized training aka classroom instruction... not on the job training in the form of volunteering]/i].

But I'll take what I can get!

matt.

Edited to add... What does CERT stand for anyway? I get the ERT = Emergency Response Team... but is the C mean? Civil? Civilian? Crazy? Catastrophic?