You can be part of serving a new addition to Door County’s public safety when the unthinkable happens.  The Gibraltar Fire Department is spearheading a Community Emergency Response Team that takes action when a natural disaster occurs in Door County.  Fire Chief Andy Bertges says the course is hosted by the Door County Emergency Management and is called “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”  He shares the hopes of the program that will have people take care of themselves and others when a disaster occurs. 

Bertges says the concept was developed in California in the 1980s and creates a database of people who will respond during a large incident.  A Search and Rescue team with a K-9 group is being developed to help find lost people without using all the public safety agency resources.  The CERT course will be held starting Monday, July 1, at the Town of Gibraltar Fire Department in county F and consists of 16 hours of online and eight hours of practical training.   Gibraltar Fire Department held two CERT open houses earlier this spring with 12 people registered for the course at this time.  You can contact Fire Chief Bertges for more information at (920) 421-3456 or abertges@gibraltar.gov.