At Ferrum Forward’s March 12 meeting, Chairperson Jennie West introduced Burton White, retired Elder of the United Methodist Church, and retired certified pastoral physiotherapist and member of Ferrum Forward, who pitched a proposal for a Ferrum Community response team.

“When I first proposed the formation of this team, it was as a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). This quickly morphed into several phases of response to the community that Ferrum Forward might coordinate. The ideas ranged from true emergencies to more or less social responses,” White said.

White detailed the vision he had for CERT. He mentioned he would like to have three levels for the response team namely emergency, urgent, and social. Each level would have its own responsibilities so as to not overwhelm the Ferrum Forward members or volunteers.

“Before getting into specifics of each of these teams, or sub-teams, I believe it is important to say what these teams are not. First what a CERT is not is a law enforcement, a fire department, or an emergency medical crew. It is not a branch of the Franklin County Social Services Department,” White emphasized.

He continued to list possible needs each level might provide through other members of the community. Beginning with the Emergency Level, those with four-wheel-drive vehicles could help transport medical or other essential persons to work during heavy ice or snow events can be provided.

Other ideas include:

• Chain saws or other tools to help when persons that do not have this capability/equipment to remove fallen trees blocking access to roadways (not to cut firewood).
• Hasty or quick search teams to help in searching for lost children or adults with cognitive disabilities until professional S.A.R. teams can arrive (Then support or help as directed with the search),
• Resources in instances of loss of shelter due to fire, wind, storms.
• Support services to law enforcement, fire, and other emergency agencies during extended incidences. This could be in the form of providing a rest area, food, water.
• Make available minimal training for the team and community in such areas as search and rescue, standard or advanced first aid, water purification, and other emergency needs the community can provide.

“I want to find people who have resources that can help us,” White said. “I think about my two grandparents, one who lived across the road from us. They were sitting there helpless when there was no power. No way to get water or gas or lights where they were. My other grandparents lived two miles up the road. They heated with wood, they cooked with wood, and they had I don’t know how many chickens. They ate some ,and well, babies were born again.”

Secondly, the Urgent Level team would provide help/resources to people who cannot do much on their own during extended emergencies, such as the aftermath of a severe winter storm, tornado, or human-made disaster. This could be such help as covering roofs with tarps after a wind or storm or when a tree limb or other object has penetrated a roof.

“If you remember seeing aerial footage of the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, you probably remember seeing fields of bright blue squares. These were F.E.M.A-provided tarps,” White added.

Along with providing covers for broken windows or siding to help make a dwelling or business usable until permanent repairs can be made, the idea is to also provide a few days of firewood, transportation to doctors’ offices or urgent care centers for those who have temporary transportation problems and other urgent services a person in need is temporally not able to provide for themselves.

“Nowadays, if there were something to happen to me, I would have to call somebody to come get me or call the rescue squad because my wife can’t drive. She’s blind and I don’t want her to drive,” White joked.

Members of Ferrum Forward brought up concerns about the disconnect in the community because of the isolated living Ferrum residents endure. Hence there would be a Social Response Team.

That team would establish a list of those who might not have family or close friends for sending notes or cards, such as Christmas, or birthday cards. It would also create a list of homebound persons with community churches to provide and deliver meals and provide transportation, on a limited basis, for those who need but do not have transportation for any needed service. This might include things like picking up prescriptions.

“To do that, we need to set volunteers,” White said. “The basics of this is not just a response team. We have changed it to a CERT–a Community Emergency Response Team. I want us to be more than that. That is why we have emergency, urgency and social,” White reminded the members.

White and West urged members to spread the word about CERT so that members of the community can volunteer and see what they can offer to the response team. White encourages community members to email him at [email protected] with any other ideas that have for the CERT.

West led the rest of the meeting, giving updates on events previously discussed. First on the agenda was the dedication of an historical marker for the Village of Ferrum, which will be held April 13 at 3:30 p.m., and located on the edge of St James Church and St. James Center on Rt. 40.

“Early on, when we started out, some people thought that it would be good that Ferrum have a historical marker,” West said. “Well one of our announcements tonight is that we applied, people in this room helped apply, and we got approved through the state, and we are going to have an unveiling, which will be installed in the next few weeks,” West said.

Rebecca Saunders, fundraising chairperson for Ferrum Forward and executive member of Friends of Ferrum Park (FOFP), announced that there were 30 vendors acquired for the Famers Market that will take place from 3 p.m.-7 p.m. every Thursday beginning April 18. Vendors should arrive at noon to have enough time to set up their tables.

Empty Bowls will have an event on March 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Blue Ridge Mountain Room at Ferrum College. Patrons can get a bowl for $15 with soup being provided. There will be a possible silent auction of different items at the event. Proceeds benefit the Panther Packs Program for food insecure students at Ferrum Elementary School.

Other campus events mentioned were the Theatre Department’s Production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, set to take place April 11-14.

There is a Cultural Fair happening March 26 where international students will set up booths with items that remind them of their home countries.

Last but not least, the Friends of Ferrum Park proposal was rejected by the Development Department. Supporters are gearing up for tonight’s Board of Supervisor’s meeting in Rocky Mount at 6 p.m. For more information concerning the Ferrum Park Proposal, please click yourferrumpark.com.