The Brown County Community Emergency Response Team recently raffled two firearms to raise funds for equipment for their emergency response trailers.

The winners of the raffle were Daniel Purcell and Roy Deen.  Purcell was the lucky winner of a .20 gauge Browning automatic shotgun, valued at $1200.  Deen took home a 9mm Taurus 24/7 pistol valued at $460.

Brown County (CERT) Leader Steve Bales expressed thanks for all who supported the raffle, “Thanks to everyone who bought tickets to help us buy equipment that was very much needed.”

Weakley-Watson Sporting Goods also supported the raffle by providing a discount on the organization’s purchase of the firearms.

The CERT program operates through the West Central Texas Council of Governments and has access to emergency response assets such as communications and medical trailers throughout the region.  Throughout the state, other entities such as the Texas State Guard also cooperate with the local and regional emergency management leaders and CERT teams.

Three times each year, these entities work together in emergency drills with mass casualties and infrastructure loss scenarios.  Through this, they are able to learn what works and what goes wrong during times of disaster to better prepare for the real emergencies.

The CERT program was started after the attacks on September 11th by Homeland Security to train local citizens to help in the community during disasters.  The basic responsibility of CERT is to respond in times of natural or man-made disasters.  Members respond in their area of the community or county offering response before emergency responders arrive.

CERT members are trained for light fire suppression, light search and rescue, disaster medical, emotional first aid and response to terrorism.

CERT training is free and takes about 20 hours to complete.  For more information about the Brown County CERT organization, contact Steve Bales by calling 325-998-5925 or email stevebales1@aol.com.