Burlington Review

Burlington County is set to host a special event aimed at enhancing residents' emergency preparedness skills. The Burlington County Prep Rally will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 AM to 1 PM at the Burlington County Library System Main Branch in Westampton.

The event is organized by the Burlington County Health Department, the Burlington County Office of Emergency Management, and several community response teams including the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Animal Response Team (CART), and Medical Reserve Corps (MRC). Attendees will have opportunities to learn about emergency preparations through hands-on demonstrations and training sessions covering life-saving skills such as CPR, Stop the Bleed, and Narcan administration.

"Protecting our residents’ health, safety, and property is always our Board’s top priority," stated Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson. "Our County has taken steps to improve resiliency and plan for various disasters and emergencies. We are also encouraging residents to prepare, so the upcoming Prep Rally will provide them with valuable knowledge and skills that can be life-saving during a disaster."

In addition to training demonstrations, attendees can meet with officials from the Health Department and Emergency Management. They will have the chance to learn more about CERT, CART, and MRC teams, including their training programs and roles during emergencies.

CERT teams consist of volunteers trained to assist first responders and emergency management professionals during emergencies. MRCs include both healthcare professionals and non-clinical community members who support health departments during health emergencies or disasters.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, members of these teams contributed over 31,000 hours assisting with various activities such as vaccination operations at the Burlington County Vaccine Mega-Site, COVID testing sites, contact tracing, and food distribution events. Their volunteer service resulted in savings exceeding $900,000 for the county.

“CERT and MRC members have always been important but were especially essential during major disasters like COVID-19,” said Dr. Herb Conway, director of the Burlington County Health Department. “Both teams are seeking new members. Residents can learn more about them at the upcoming Prep Rally.”

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