This Wednesday the Washington County Emergency Management Commission will discuss a CERT team, the budget certification and Alert Iowa. Emergency Management Coordinator for Washington and Keokuk Counties Larry Smith explains a CERT team is a group of trained volunteers who help respond to emergencies, such as tornadoes. CERT teams assist with home evacuations, setting up and operating shelters, and can assist medical personnel if trained to do so.

Richard Young, director of the ambulance service, explains a CERT would assist the ambulance and medical personnel during a disaster by checking homes for people with injuries and helping medics get to urgent matters.

The commission will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. For more information about CERT listen to today’s Washington Page.