SANFORD — When a disaster like a flood or an ice storm strikes, communities need trained volunteers at the ready to pitch in and help. They need folks to help run a shelter, fill sandbags, answer phones, or any number of like tasks – boots-on-the-ground people ready to step in and help.

So the city’s emergency management agency is looking to put together a Community Emergency Response Team – called CERT – and will host an informational meeting at 7 p.m. July 16 at City Hall for those interested in applying for volunteer positions. The meeting will take place in the council chambers on the third floor.

They’re looking for a lot of volunteers – folks to answer the call and help get the work done when disasters strike.

Sanford Deputy Emergency Management director Alex Hammerle said ideally, the city is looking for 30 to 50 volunteers, in order to have the ability to run multiple shifts for long hours during an emergency situation.

“We have identified 12 different jobs to start with, and they range from filling sandbags to opening and operating shelters for people and pets, to providing radio communications, answering phones in the Emergency Operations Center, and working with a variety of computer applications,” Hammerle said.

According to Hammerle, training will be provided – everyone will receive basic CERT training, which includes disaster preparedness, disaster medical operations, fire safety and utility controls, light search and rescue, and disaster psychology among other topics. Other training varies by position, he said; some training is available online and some will be provided in a classroom.

York County Emergency Management Agency deputy director Dave Francoeur said both Saco and Old Orchard Beach have CERTs and said the teams are great assets to those communities. Francoeur said the Old Orchard Beach team assisted in a sheltering operation during the blizzard this winter and at a large fire on School Street, while the Saco team has conducted traffic control when Camp Ellis needs to be secured because of weather-related issues.

“The opportunity for citizens to get trained and help in emergencies is truly needed,” Francoeur said.

For more information about the Sanford CERT, call Hammerle at 608-4170.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].