CERT Update
By Mark Wardell for The West Side Newspaper
Friends of Salem CERT
July in West Salem brings all the fun summer activities, beautiful weather, backyard barbecues, and community events. But behind the scenes, it has also brought some good news for Salem CERT. If you’ve been following this column, you know that our local CERT volunteers train diligently to serve as Salem’s volunteer neighborhood first responders during major crises. Today, I am excited to share a milestone that will help support those volunteers in new and exciting ways.
Friends of Salem CERT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated entirely to supporting the volunteers of the Salem Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). While our active CERT members focus on mastering first aid, light search and rescue, and utility control, this nonprofit works in the background to build the resources, advocacy, and community partnerships necessary to support their continued success.
We are organized exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Our core goal is to bridge the gap between community need and emergency capability, ensuring that every corner of the City of Salem, and especially our West Salem neighborhoods, are resilient, prepared, and included.
What does the 501(c)(3) status actually mean for you and our community? Simply put, it opens doors that were previously closed. Any donations made to Friends of Salem CERT are now fully tax-deductible. This makes it much easier for us to apply for community grants, seek corporate sponsorships, and partner with local West Salem businesses.
Every dollar raised by the Friends group goes directly toward equipping our neighborhood teams. Emergency response requires more than just willing hearts; it requires supplies, radios, safety gear, and outreach materials. With our tax-exempt status secured, we are in a much stronger position to ensure our volunteers have the high-quality tools they need to protect our community when the "big one" eventually hits.
If you are a local business owner looking to partner with a worthy neighborhood cause, or a resident who wants to support our volunteer teams, we would love to connect with you. You can learn more about our mission, meet our board, or make a tax-deductible contribution by visiting our website at FriendsOfSalemCERT.org.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about this article, preparedness in general, if you'd like to inquire about joining CERT, scheduling a presentation for your organization, or questions for your neighbors about CERT or emergency preparedness, please don't hesitate to contact me, Mark Wardell, at PNMarkW2@gmail.com.
You can also find more information about our city-wide efforts by visiting SalemOregonCERT.org.