The bylaws as well as the policies and procedures have been approved for the new CERT team by the Washington County Emergency Management Commission. Larry Smith, emergency management director for Washington and Keokuk counties, provided an update at the recent Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting, saying he will soon begin looking for volunteers to be on the team.

The CERT, or Community Emergency Response Team, will have local members undergo 20 hours of training, which will include CPR and First Aid. The team was first approved in February and will assist existing emergency personnel at times of emergency with various tasks from evacuating people to establishing shelters to clearing roads.