(TNS) — If an earthquake, volcanic eruption, wildfire or flood hits the Yakima Valley, you might not see firefighters or paramedics in your neighborhood for a while.

The experience in other disasters has shown that professional first responders can be overwhelmed as they deal with urgent needs, or they might not be able to get to where people need help because roads and bridges are out.

Instead, help for your neighborhood may come from people in green vests and hard hats like Paul Jenkins, a volunteer coordinator with the county’s Community Emergency Response Team.

“We think the government is going to send the cavalry in any minute,” Jenkins said. “Sometimes, the individual citizen can get there before the cavalry.”

CERT, as the program is known, provides training so people can be better prepared for disasters themselves, as well as help their neighbors and others. They can also assist first responders by staffing an emergency operations center, freeing up personnel for other duties, said Horace Ward, senior emergency planner with the Yakima County Office of Emergency Management.

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http://www.govtech.com/em/preparedness/In-an-Emergency-Trained-volunteers-May-be-the-First-to-Reach-Victims.html