The Ark-Tex Council of Governments (ATCOG) donated 30 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) backpacks and 30 training manuals to the Lamar County CERT Team, strengthening volunteer readiness for disasters and large-scale incidents in the county.
The donation equips volunteers for both training and field work. The training manuals support the team’s 27-hour basic course, which covers light search and rescue, first aid, Stop the Bleed, CPR, and public education. The backpacks contain essential tools like first-aid supplies, flashlights and power shut-off tools that are used during public-assistance deployments and disaster responses.
“These manuals are the foundation of our training, and the backpacks put critical tools in our volunteers’ hands,” said Lisa Callaway, chief of the Lamar County CERT Team. “They help us assist first responders, whether we’re supporting firefighters on a hot scene, performing light search and rescue, or educating our neighbors about preparedness.”
ATCOG funded the purchase through the Office of the Governor Homeland Security Grant Program, leveraging Planning, Exercise and Training funds to equip the team with the needed supplies.
“This is about building local capacity,” said Whitney Fezell, homeland security coordinator for ATCOG. “By using grant dollars to provide backpacks and training books, we’re helping Lamar County volunteers train more people, respond more safely, and serve the community more effectively.”
Lamar County Emergency Management said the support fills a critical gap.
“ATCOG’s support makes a big difference for our county because our budget is tight, and we can’t use local taxpayer dollars for items like these,” said Quincy Blount, Lamar County emergency management coordinator. “Grants and partnerships fill that gap, letting us focus our other resources on building our rehab capability. Beyond the gear itself, ATCOG’s investment helps us operationalize CERT where it matters most, on the ground and in the EOC freeing up our responders to focus on line safety.”
The Lamar County CERT assists with post-storm damage assessments for emergency management, provides firefighter rehabilitation support at incident scenes, and is integrating into the county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to help document road closures and damages during severe weather. The group also provides public education on emergency preparedness.
The CERT meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at 2673 N. Main St. in Paris. Residents ages 16 and older are encouraged to attend and learn more about training and volunteer opportunities.
