OES MISSION STATEMENT
“Through leadership and guidance, strengthen countywide
emergency management capabilities to ensure the protection of
life and property before, during and after disasters.”
By Zack Mullennix,
Emergency Services Officer/ECS Coordinator
When disaster strikes many San Bernardino County residents will not only survive, but will be
prepared to help others in their communities. These residents are part of the County Office of
Emergency Services’ (OES) Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. Knowing that
in a catastrophic disaster, professional responders will likely be overwhelmed in the first hours
and even days following a disaster, CERT-trained individuals learn important skills to safely care
for themselves, their families and their community until professionals arrive. The 20-hour FEMA
curriculum provides hands-on training in personal preparedness, extinguishing small fires, triage,
disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, ICS (Incident Command System), disaster
psychology and terrorism. The course culminates with a disaster simulation to afford participants
the opportunity to practice what they’ve learned.
While thousands throughout San Bernardino County have received the free training, about
a thousand are affiliated volunteers under County OES. These members are located in 14
unincorporated communities and are identified by the possession of a County OES identification
card. These members have cleared a DOJ and FBI background check, completed additional ICS
training and are registered as disaster service workers. These volunteers receive ongoing training and
are organized under the supervision of a local volunteer who acts as the CERT volunteer coordinator
and a local CERT fire liaison from County Fire or another partner agency. County OES CERT members
attend regular meetings in their community and participate in training provided locally as well as
operational area-wide training. San Bernardino County firefighters have been integral to the success
of the program and have provided outstanding initial and ongoing training.
The Mountain Division has had a great summer season and is now preparing for the upcoming winter/rainy season. There have been many
great public events in which our personnel have been able to &V6