Kick-Off Ceremony for Olympic Station Community Emergency Response Team NA09112ah

What:
The Olympic Community Emergency Response Team (OCERT) Kick-Off Ceremony seeks to establish a community based response to major emergencies where initial response of the public  agencies is limited.

When:
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
5:30 PM

Where:
Olympic Community Police Station
1130 South Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA  90006

Who:
President Anthony Pacheco, Board of Police Commissioners
Deputy Mayor Arif Alikhan, Public Safety
Council Members
Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell, Los Angeles Police Department
Commander Debra McCarthy, Commanding Officer West Bureau
Captain Matthew Blake, Olympic Station Commanding Officer
Deputy Chief Emile Mack, Los Angeles Fire Department
Mary Hun Lee, Korean American Federation of Los Angeles
LA City Emergency Management Department
LAFD CERT Department Captains
American Red Cross Greater Los Angeles
Los Angeles Unified School District
Korean Consul General’s Office
El Salvador Consul General
Neighborhood Councils

Why:
OCERT serves to establish a community based response team that will educate the  community in case of a disaster, whether that be natural (earthquake, major fire) or civil unrest (riot), and to act as a liaison between the City Departments (LAPD, LAFD, LA EMD, etc.) and the community.

The OCERT Kick-Off will also serve to enlist community volunteers (150 to date) to go into the community as first responders in the situation of a natural disaster/terrorism/civil unrest.  They will provide medical aid, field intelligence and report back to the Command Post.  Although each City Department has their own emergency response, this will be first time the community and  the Police, Fire, EMD, and City Departments will work together to strengthen the relationship between the community and the City of Los Angeles.

If you have any questions regarding this ceremony, please call Media Relations at (213) 485- 3586.