September 26, 2013

Taylorsville, Utah – Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) from over 15 Utah jurisdictions will come together on Saturday, September 28th from 9 am to 1 pm at the Taylorsville Senior Center for the 2013 Multi-CERT Event.  At this event teams will practice disaster response and mass causality skills in a simulated 7.0 earthquake.  Supporting the Basic CERT Training, this exercise will provide the opportunity for each CERT member to have hands-on training and simulated disaster experience in three areas of disaster response: Search & Triage, Rescue & Transport, and Disaster Medical Treatment.  Teams will also will also practice inter-operating with other response groups such as the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).  The Salt Lake County MRC has been integrating into the exercise and will be receiving rescued patients from the CERT teams.  Ongoing training and practice by CERT teams support CERT's core mission of being ready and trained to assist one's family, neighbors and community in the event of a disaster where professional responders are not readily available.

This event has been planned over the last five months by a multi-jurisdictional committee and is hosted by Taylorsville City.  Please see the attached flyer.

Participating teams and organizations include: Taylorsville, Bluffdale, Cottonwood Heights, Herriman, Judge Memorial, Lehi, Murray, Pleasant Grove, Salt Lake City, SLCC, Salt Lake County, Sandy, Saratoga Springs, South Salt Lake, Stansbury Park, Unified Fire Authority, West Valley, Brothers Grimm, Salt Lake County Medical Reserve Corps, LDS Church, Southern Baptist Church, and the Utah Division of Emergency Management.

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.

For more information about Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) please visit:

MRC is a national network of local groups of volunteers committed to improving the health, safety, and resiliency of their communities.  MRC volunteers include medical and public health professionals such as physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, veterinarians, and epidemiologists.

For more information about Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) please visit:

Mac Sims (K1MAC)

Deputy Incident Commander

Lehi CERT

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