September is Preparedness Month, and the Port
Richmond CERT Team had a full schedule of events.
In addition to our weekly meetings, the team took part in 6 public tabling
events: Richmondtown Fair 2 days, Clove Lakes Park, Staten Island Car Show,
Costco Safety Week 5 days, Suicide Prevention Walk, & Forest Avenue Pathmark 2
days.
The Port Richmond CERT deployed 5 teams to roam Staten Island during Tropical
Storm Hanna in order to check on our communities. As a result, the team has
accumulated over 530 volunteer service hours for September alone. Currently,
there are 44 like minded & dedicated Islanders who make up this team. We are
proud to call Staten Island our home and committed to be a resource to its
inhabitants.
Thank you for your continued support.
Port Richmond CERT helps at The Suicide Prevention Walk
October 2008 marks the third year since the Port Richmond CERT Team began. Since 2005 we have grown to over 40 members, who come from many of the islands diverse communities. We have logged over 22,000 volunteer community service hours since our humble beginnings. Port Rich CERT is one of the only incorporated and commercially insured teams within the New York City CERT program. Our website has been up less than a year and has over 25,000 hits on it...and people are staying on it, downloading whatever articles and information they deem important.
This past September was a great month for the team During National Disaster Preparedness Month, we were invited to many public presentations and logged in over 530 volunteer hours, talking to Staten Islanders about preparedness and awareness. The team also participated in a lite search for a missing male teenager and was instrumental in re-uniting him with his family.
The team continues to train and recruit new members. We have two Emergency Response Trailers and a " war wagon " that carry our gear. Soon, we will have a Mobile Service Unit road-worthy as well. The team understands that emergencies can happen anywhere on the island, so we need to be ready to deploy and respond.
I believe the best part about this TEAM is it's members. We are comprised of some of the best people on Staten Island, with a diversity of knowledge that is just so impressive. Our dedication, motivation, and enthusiasm comes from our heart. And we are proud to call Staten Island our home.
Here's to 3 years and many more. Thank you for your continued support.
Port Richmond CERT
For Our Families and Our Communities...Never Forget...
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On September 13th, the Port Richmond Community emergency Response Team was conducting a public emergency preparedness and awareness tabling affair at Clove Lakes Park. Several members arrived early in order to set up our display area. Team member Ed Arali made a pit stop on the way to the event, at a local convenience store. Ed was approached by a family who was missing one of their children, 15 year old Kevin Mac Donald. The family remembered that Port Richmond CERT had been involved in two prior searches for missing islanders and asked if the team could assist. Ed escorted the family members to Clove Lakes and introduced them to Mike Trivolis (Operations) and Steve Clohessy (Search and Rescue). Mike and Steve immediately assessed the needs of the family and began an information gathering process. They were able to collect critical information: description, last known position, and potential whereabouts. The family provided flyers, which were distributed to team members, to hand out and post in the local stores. The team quickly realized that the scope and purpose of Saturday’s original mission had drastically changed. Mike and Steve set up new objectives based on the information and available manpower that was present. A lite search of the Clove Lake grounds commenced. Steve united the search criteria into the public awareness event in the hopes of notifying as many people as possible and keep their eyes open. The Parks Department at Clove Lakes assisted within their area of operation and granted Port Richmond CERT time to remain on the park grounds, even after the permit time had expired. This helped keep our command post intact while new information and leads were forthcoming. At 4pm, the Port Richmond CERT team departed the Clove Lakes park site, maintaining a communications grid with available team members, ready to assist. Just before 10pm, a tip was called into Steve Clohessy that the missing individual had been spotted at the Staten Island Mall. Steve relayed the message to Deputy Chief James Barone, who immediately called the family and passed on the information. The family reacted to the information and within one hour the team was notified that the individual has been found and was safe at home. The family was deeply grateful and felt that the actions and professionalism of the Port Richmond CERT team were instrumental in locating their family member. |
On June 18th,
nine members of the Port Richmond CERT & Rescue Team graduated
from the 14-week NYPD Citizen's Police Academy.
Steve Clohessy, Evette Granger, Mike Trivolis, Anna Ferrara,
Donna Mahler, Gus Haug, William Quinn, James Barone, and John
Tidona completed the course that was started 14 years ago as a
means of acquainting citizens of New York City with police
training. We feel having completed the course curriculum, we
understand what our brave first responders go through.
We were met by the NYPD Staten Island officers and we're going
to keep in contact with them. Special thanks to LT Dan from the
122 Precinct, who took us into the city every week and brought
us home.
On June 7th, 22 members of the
Port Richmond CERT &
Rescue Team graduated from a Department of Environmental Conservation
(DEC) Type III Wilderness Search and Rescue Class. Upon completing the
class, the team was instantly recognized as a resource for inland
wilderness searches that take place anywhere within New York State.
Once listed on the New York State Federation of Search and Rescue Teams,
this will be the third SAR team in the New York City Area.
We would like to extend our gratitude to the following members for their
continued dedication and self-less service to the community:
Gus Haug, Walter Matuzza, Vivian Snyder, Flo Thomson, Richard Lonecke,
James Barone, Carmine malandro, William Quinn, Evette Granger, Steve
Clohessy, Thomas Demarzo, Mike Trivolis, Johnny Lee, James Seacott,
Donna Mahler, Ed Arale, Mike Murphy, Steve Magid, Angelita Rios-Kobryn,
Raul Torres, Brian Smith, and John Tidona.
Special thanks to Forest Rangers Thomes and Slade for conducting such an
important class and offering to return to teach additional modules.
Several team members also hold search and rescue certifications from the
National Association of Search and Rescue (NASAR) and have participated
in several searches in New Jersey. In 2007, these team members were
recognized for their skills during a search involving a missing Staten
Islander.
Joining the Port Richmond CERT &
Rescue Team offers an opportunity for those who
are motivated, community minded, and want to contribute to their
neighborhood. Whether we are conducting a community outreach event,
exercising, or deploying to a real natural or man-made event: our
services are vital.
We invite community-spirited individuals, who are interested in disaster
preparedness and awareness to join our team. It all starts with the new
New York City Office of Emergency Management CERT class that begins on
July 9th.
For more information, please email us at
info@sicert.org.
The Port Richmond CERT Team would
like to congratulate and welcome the following new team members who completed
their 11-week NYC OEM CERT Class:
Cody Mitchell, Angelita Rios-Kobryn, Jessup Reid, Corbett Hood, Jerry Ettinger,
Nick Rozak Sr., Nick Rozak Jr., Margaret Moschetto, Christine Crouch, John
Santana, Antoinette Arali, Gad Gazmo, Jim Collins, Steve Magid, John burke, and
Dawn Duncan.
These 17 trained volunteers become part of one the most active and respected
CERT Teams in NYC. We honor their dedication and motivation.
Five Boro Bike Tour
14 volunteer members of the Port Richmond CERT team assembled
and set up their command post at the foot of Bay Street, by the
saint George Ferry. After checking in with the onsite Incident
Commander, a safety briefing was conducted by Team Chief John
Tidona.
After the briefing, the team was assigned to three different
check points along the bike route. The first bikers began to
arrive around 11:15 am. The team directed bike, pedestrian, and
vehicular traffic in order to ensure biker safety. The event
ended shortly after 6:00 pm and the team departed the scene.
30,000+ bikers...
14 Port Richmond CERT members...
No incidents or accidents....PRICELESS!
To read the full story click here.
To see more pictures from the event click here.
- Effective January 3rd, we will be meeting on the Seaview Hospital Grounds, Community Board 2 Building. Our new address will be:
Port Richmond CERT and Rescue Inc.
460 Brielle Ave
Community Board Two Building
Staten Island NY 10314
- Port Richmond CERT members Carmine Malandro, Walter Matuza and William Quinn helped collect money and assisted in traffic control at the light display at 20 Sherwood Ave. in Tottenville. All donations went toward Juvenile Diabetes and Autism Charities.
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Congratulations to Steve who has now become a CPR Instructor.