October 2024

Inside: Hurricane Debby and Helene responses plus several tips and area events

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I hope you and your families are safe after Hurricane Helene. As we know, several areas not too far from us sustained severe damage.

LWR CERT completed a partial activation, to the point where our Activation Manager completed an Incident Response Plan.

We had 19 Groups ready to address 77 neighborhoods. In the end, our Board decided not to activate as they believed the impact would be west of us.

Our entire ham radio hub network was on the air at 8 AM Friday to ensure we would have a radio network if it was needed. Fortunately for us, the radio network was not needed, and it was shut down about 9:30 AM. Thank you to our amazing volunteers.

Stay safe. The season isn’t over yet. 

Jim Emanuelson (KN4VMK)

President, LWR CERT

941.404.8606

The timing of the Fall Team Captain/Group Leader meeting made the meeting even more impactful to the attendees as LWR CERT had entered Readiness Condition 3 less than 12 hours earlier as Florida awaited the arrival of Hurricane Helene.

In addition to reviewing their teams' thoughts on the Summer's activation exercise, the TCs and GLs also discussed impacts of Hurricane Debby, pending Hurricane Helene, and possible ways LWR CERT could respond to such events. Thanks to Team Captain Director Jan Kuhn for organizing and leading this meeting, Dave Cashbaugh for spearheading the Activation Simulation discussion and all the Team Captains and Group Leaders who attended.

The September Member Meeting provided an amazing array of refresher training topics presented by Member Training Manager George Haralampoudis.

From disaster psychology, heat-related illnesses and flooding to tornadoes, radios protocols and EpiPen instructions, the evening was packed with valuable information.

Did you know that:

• heat stroke requires immediate medical attention? Call 9-1-1, then cool the survivor but do NOT give fluids to drink.
• having a check valve or backwater valve installed on your sewer line may prevent sewage and wastewater from flowing back into your home after a flood?
• an EF2 tornado has similar wind speeds to a Cat 4 hurricane? EF2 wind speeds: 111-135 MPH; Cat 4 sustained winds: 130-156 MPH
• you should avoid using cell phones and radios if you smell gas? Leave the area before calling 9-1-1.

Thank you to our registration desk volunteers Carol Jenckes and Susan Strahs; our Director of Outreach Jim Curran for organizing the event, our Communications Manager Karen Emanuelson for making sure our members knew about the meeting, our Vice President George Jenckes for his impromptu refresher on Epi-Pen administration, and our presenter George Haralampoudis for choosing and presenting the evening's topics. The event was a great way for our members to update and refresh many of the lessons previously learned during our Basic Training.

After the Flood: Helping Connect Residents to Resources

Hurricane Debby left portions of the Lakewood Ranch area flooded. LWR CERT has worked behind the scenes to help connect residents with recovery resources.

At the request of Manatee County Public Safety Director Jodie Fiske, LWR CERT emailed more than 230 residents in the flooded areas of Summerfield information about a virtual meeting to discuss their ongoing issues obtaining government assistance during their recovery efforts.

Getting Ready for Basic Training: Backpacks Packed and Ready to Go!

Thank you to (from left) Jim Hermiston, Carol Jenckes, Jack Sandelman, George Jenckes, Logistics Manager Jim Troeller, Bruce Costella, Jim Emanuelson and Karen Emanuelson for spending the morning of Saturday, Sept. 9 assembling backpacks for the October Basic Training class.

Researching New Methods: Drones Being Tested to Aid During Activations

A feasibility study is currently underway to determine if drones could be used to aid LWR CERT during activations. A test flight was conducted on September 18.

David Esslinger (pictured on the left) and Dick Plotkin were joined by Jim Emanuelson and Tim Sherer to launch the test drone.

Basic Training gets a new prop

Thank you to Pat Knowles for securing a fire extinguisher prop to be used during Basic Training.

Thank you to George Jenckes, Jim Schmidt, Pat Knowles and Mike Modisett for serving on our new Medical Advisory subcommittee.

This subcommittee will make recommendations to the Board on medical issues. FEMA has standards which LWR CERT follows, but there are some medical issues that may arise that this subcommittee will help to address for LWR CERT.

During times of activation, after members initially treat a medical injury in the field, George and Jim have agreed to be available via LWR CERT Group Leaders and Radio Hubs to serve as medical resources, if necessary.

Active Shooter Session - October 2

River Club CERT is hosting an Active Shooter session on October 2 at the East Manatee Fire Station #1. Contact Sebastian Ilka at riverclubcert@gmail.com for details and registration.

October Birthdays

Happy Birthday to members Janis Ballard (Team 10), Ken Bertram (Team 20), Jerry Buhr (Team 27), Kathy Combs (Team 1), Kay Culliton (Team 20), Sharon Defferding (Team 36), Mark Holmes (Team 35), George Jenckes (Team 26), William Mechling (Team 36), Brenda Nusbaum (Team 35), Jim O'Donnell (Team 36), Mike Resetarits (Team 22), Lisa Robbins (Team 36), Alan Roth (Team 9), Julie Russell (Team 36), Christy Samuels (Team 9), Ryan Shipp (Team 11), Rosemary Stack (Team 32), Art Taber (Team 27), David Young (Team 26), and Ryan Zachos (Team 10).

Service Anniversaries

Congratulations and thank you to these members for their years of service to LWR CERT and the Lakewood Ranch community.

11 Years - Marvin Crepea (Team 23)

10 Years - Pat Knowles (Team 17) and Michael Miller (Team 31)

9 Years - Sue Joy-Sobota (Team 25) and Richard Raymond (Team 28)

6 Years - Jerry Buhr (Team 27), Paul Catalano (Team 25), Jim Emanuelson (Team 26), Karen Emanuelson (Team 26), and Gerard Toner (Team 13)

5 Years - Tricia Bauer (Team 22), Mark Boutote (Team 16), Frank Giannone (Radio Hub), Dennis Johnson (Team 26), Judy Johnson (Team 26), Samuel Mallis (Team 8), Cynthia Olcott (Team 8), and Mike Resetarits (Team 22)

2 Years - Albert Bergeron (Team 10), William Fisher (Team 31), James Hennigan (Team 1), Themba Hillary (Team 27), Larry Hippich (Team 13), Matthew Hippich (Team 13), Paulette Kessler-Westerman (Team 16), Dennis Laphan (Team 27), Dyan Laphan (Team 27), Rosemarie Pauli (Team 27), Thomas Quimby (Team 16), Nancy Roush (Team 17), William Sadlack (Team 27), Rene Urra (Team 13), and Philip Westerman (Team 16)

Presidential Service Awards

Congratulations to George Haralampoudis, Arcinee Hermiston, and George Jenckes for earning a Bronze Presidential Award based on their volunteer hours submitted through the Better Impact portal.

Pictured is Director of Membership Development Bruce Bedford presenting the Certificate of Recognition to George Haralampoudis at the September Member Training Meeting.

• Leadership Meeting - Tuesday, October 8 at 7 PM
• Virtual Basic Training Prep Meeting - Thursdays, October 3 and October 10 at 7 PM
• Board Meeting - Tuesday, October 15 at Noon, location TBD
• Radio Committee Meeting - Tuesday, October 15 at 7 PM
• Annual Member Meeting and Election - Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7 PM

Send comments, suggestions, and photos for future issues to communications@lwrcert.org.