Somerset County Survey

Welcome to "Ready Bernardsville". Here you will find information that the Bernardsville OEM has collected to assist community members in preparing responsibly for disasters and local emergencies. Residents are encouraged to find out about hazards present in the community, prepare a disaster supply kit, maintain a safe home and develop and practice a family disaster plan. Information below will provide information and useful links to help you get started.

Each person's needs and abilities are unique, but every individual can take important steps to prepare for all kinds of emergencies and put plans in place. By evaluating your own personal needs and making an emergency plan, you can be better prepared for any situation. A commitment to planning today will help you prepare for any emergency situation. Preparing makes sense. Get ready now.

https://www.state.nj.us/njoem/

https://www.ready.gov/

https://www.fema.gov/

https://www.ready.gov/seniors

You may need to survive on your own after an emergency. This means having your own food, water, and other supplies in sufficient quantity to last for at least three days. Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it might take days. In addition, basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may be cut off for days, or even a week or longer.

Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so it is important to plan in advance: how you will contact one another; how you will get back together; and what you will do in different situations.

You can begin this process by gathering family members and making sure each person is well-informed on potential hazards and community plans. Discuss with them what you would do if family members are not home when a warning is issued. Additionally, your family plan should address the following:

Some of the things you can do to prepare for the unexpected, such as making an emergency supply kit and developing a family communications plan, are the same for both a natural or man-made emergency. However, there are important differences among potential emergencies that will impact the decisions you make and the actions you take. Learn more about the potential emergencies that could happen where you live and the appropriate way to respond to them. In addition, learn about the emergency plans that have been established in your area by your state and local government.

WHAT IS CERT?

Extraordinary emergency situations or special events can place a strain on regular emergency services provided by the Police Dept. and the Volunteer Fire Department and First Aid Squad.  In an effort to provide support and better manage resources, the Office of Emergency Management has organized a volunteer CERT team.  Citizen participation with this program will better prepare our community to respond to any emergency. To participate, contact the Bernardsville Office of Emergency Management in the Police Department at 908-766-0037.  A brochure describing the program and an application can be obtained at the Police Department.

The Bernardsville CERT Program trains volunteers to work with and support emergency responders.  When called upon, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

The Bernardsville CERT Program is organized into three different groups of responders.  Groups are in place for Community Emergency Response, the Public Library Shelter Support and Community Resource Center and the School based CERT Program in local public and private schools. Each group receives the same basic training, but serves a different function for the local OEM.  Continued training will be made available to each group as needed.  If needed special CERT response groups can be formed utilizing members from all three groups.

To volunteer and participate in this program, please obtain an application at Police Headquarters and submit it to the Bernardsville Police Department, Office of Emergency Management, 166 Mine Brook Road, Bernardsville, N.J. 07924.  For more information about this program contact the Office of Emergency Management in the Police Department at (908)766-0037.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CERT

To learn more about the CERT Program visit the National Citizen Corp CERT Website at  http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/about.shtm