With so many fire jurisdictions across northern Nevada, different fire agencies have to work together for the quickest response to the emergency.
This is a newer concept when it comes to volunteer agencies, but the benefits when responding to fires has already proved to be apparent.
Red Rock Volunteer Fire Department gets deployed by Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District to spot lightning in the area, in order to pinpoint the location of fires started by lightning as quickly as possible. Red Rock Volunteer Fire Chief Bill Gerand came up with the idea in 2015 to add the Red Rock Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to the effort by training how to identity and communicate where a fire is.
"I think It was the Rock fire two years ago that became the second step for us," Chief Gerand says. "I had been dispatched to a different area and because of [a CERT lightning spotter] we were able to immediately head to where the fire was and get communications going with incoming resources at least a half hour sooner and more effectively."
CERT members often help with larger emergency responses by directing traffic among other responsibilities. Since the Rock fire, Washoe County Sheriff's Office, who oversees Red Rock CERT, and TMFPD have worked to increase the role CERT members when volunteer firefighters are deployed.
"We worked up some policies and procedures," Chief Gerand says. "[Like] how to use the radio. CERT members can now use the squad vehicle so that we can utilize them to also ferry supplies and personnel to the staging area."
"I got to drive a squad the other day." Sandy McGill, eight-year CERT member, says. "I even got to turn the lights on."
McGill joined Red Rock CERT in 2010 after she saw a fire come over the ridge towards her house.
"The firefighters were up there doing their job," McGill says. "And it just... it seemed like I should be doing something to help them."
Chief Gerand and McGill both stressed how important it is to have trained volunteers on scene. Gerand says there was one time a truck with a trailer who came looking to help transport things actually blocked him in, and McGill says she's seen cars lining up to help. That really just clutters the roadway, especially in places like Red Rock with two-lane roads and a lot of unpaved roads.
McGill suggests joining a volunteer force... so you're ready to go when that day comes.
"Volunteers come out of the wood work but they don't have the skills," McGill says. "They put themselves in danger at times. We've got the knowledge to know when not to do things and when to do tings and what to do."
To learn more about training to become a CERT member visit their website: http://wcsovolunteer.org/training.html
