We're winding down summer here in the Pinelands.   Here are some highlights plus a look ahead for the fall:

On two separate Saturdays this summer, several Pinelands CERT members took training and passed their tests for Fire Police Training.  These skills will be invaluable in future deployments to assist with traffic management at emergency scenes once all the details are worked out between the team and the Fire Company.

On August 29th we hosted a Compass and Navigation Exercise, well attended by both local members and various teams across the County. Under the expert instruction of Col. Lowe, we used compasses to navigate an outside course to see how close we came to a pre-determined point.  It was a great next step from classroom instruction and a stepping stone to more advanced, possibly forest setting, future exercises.

Camden County has reached out to CERT teams across Burlington County for assistance with the upcoming Pope visit to Philadelphia. At this time, our schedule and deployment duties are still being worked out, but members of the Pinelands CERT have signed up to volunteer and help in a various capacities.    Hundreds of thousands of people, buses and vehicles are due to descend on our area as crowds descend on the PA/NJ Riverfront area for the events over the

last weekend in September.   I'd like to take this opportunity to convey to everyone to keep safe and be watchful during this historic event.

September is National Preparedness Month and FEMA has a month long program that changes topics and resources every week. For more useful information visit http://www.ready.gov/september

Last note, Tabernacle Office of Emergency Management has launched its Facebook Page.  Please visit and Like this page for lots of useful, local and national information along with updates and links to our CERT program.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tabernacle-Twp-Office-of-Emergency-Mgmt/414278065426143

Thank you for all you do,

73, John Lyons KD2GER

Pinelands Regional CERT Team Leader Message 9/7/2015