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Blog Post by Paul Sheehan, Park Ridge CERT Administrator, on January 1, 2023

Park Ridge CERT is always open to new volunteers who would like to contribute to the greater Park Ridge community!

It may help for the reader to understand that types of activities they may be called upon to help with, as a member of CERT. Volunteers may be asked to free up Park Ridge Police and Fire, first responders during non-emergency or emergency response activities, such as:

Flooding – Direct people and vehicles away from flooded areas such as:

1. Touhy Avenue viaduct under the commuter train bridge in downtown Park Ridge
2. Dee Road between Touhy Avenue and Oakton Street when the Des Plaines River overflows its banks

• Power Outages – Conduct traffic through intersections when power to the stoplights is interrupted (e.g. Intersection of Dee Road and Touhy Avenue)

• Building Fires – Control people and vehicle access to an active fire site that may be commercial, single family and multi-family buildings.

• Pedestrian Impact by Vehicle – Control access to an accident site until first responders have completed their investigation.

• Dignitary Visits – Control people and vehicle access to streets and locations used by visiting dignitaries. (e.g. Hillary Clinton visit to the Pickwick Theatre and the Park Ridge Library on October 11, 2019)

• Severe Weather Alerts – Trained severe weather spotters can be assigned to the higher floors of Lutheran General Hospital to scan for severe weather during well attended civic events like the July 4^th fireworks at Maine East High School.

• Storm Damage – Control people and vehicle access to areas of storm damage such as downed, live, electricity wires and fallen tree trunks and large limbs laying on roads and sidewalks.
• Vehicle traffic control – Help direct traffic at special Park Ridge events such as:

1. Memorial Day Parade
2. Maine South High School homecoming parade
3. July 4^th Fireworks show at Maine East High School
4. Santa’s visit at Park Ridge Winterfest, the day after Thanksgiving each year
5. Local fund raising 5K and 10K run/walk events

• Search and Rescue – Complete special training so that you can assist with a search for missing people

• First Aid – Complete First Aid training offered by Park Ridge Fire Department and be prepared to assist when needed
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) – Complete CRP/AED training offered by Park Ridge Fire Department and be prepared to assist when needed

• Extreme Heat events – Make wellness check visits to designated households and assist people and their pets to move to designated, community cooling centers until the extreme heat event has passed.

Action – If you think that you would like to volunteer with activities like these, please reach out to us on the “Contact Park Ridge CERT” webpage!