Captain Richard McKeown is the department’s CERT Coordinator and works in the Special Operations/Homeland Security. The CERT program is actually a program under Mobile County Emergency Management Agency and Captain McKeown works close to the agency in coordinately established teams, arranging for classes for potential new teams and also teaches the “Train the Trainer” course throughout the State of Alabama for the Alabama Emergency Management Agency.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.
For more information about CERT contact Captain Richard McKeown at (251) 208-5581.