JEFFERSON CITY –Senator Robert F. (Bob) Onder, Jr., recognized the members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Mid America Teen Community Emergency Response Team (TEEN CERT) in Wentzville for receiving top honors for 2016. The Wentzville program was named the top emergency preparedness program and youth training program in the state for the second year running, as well as the No. 1 Child and Youth Emergency Program for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Preparedness in America for 2016.
The Mid America TEEN CERT program consists of a group of students, age 12 years and older, who undergo training and team-building exercises that foster emergency response preparedness. The Wentzville TEEN CERT team has been awarded national honors from FEMA for the past two years, and also earned an honorable mention in the “Preparing the Whole Community” category at this year’s event.
Photo by Mark Rosenblum
“I’m so proud of the Wentzville TEEN CERT team, as their hard work and dedication toward community safety have made our state and district proud yet again this year,” said Sen. Onder. “When unexpected disasters strike, it’s a tumultuous and frightening time for every community. It’s good to know that the committed students in the 2nd District are working to make their homes a safer place to live.”
The FEMA CERT program allows adult and teenage community members to take part in planning and preparation workshops to learn how to respond to a variety of disaster scenarios. Topics such as personal and family response, fire suppression, first aid and search and rescue are covered in the program. For more information, visit: http://www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-teams.
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