April 29, 2015 • Vol. 13, No.22
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
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ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Anthem | Black Canyon City | Carefree | Cave Creek | Desert Hills | New River| North Phoenix | Tramonto
Ready for anything: CERT trainees practice disaster preparedness
Pictured is the latest class of CERT trainees with Paul Schickel (far left) and Dave Jensen (far right). ELIZABETH MEDORA STAFF
NORTH VALLEY – “Uniting communities – preparing the nation” is the motto of the Daisy Mountain Fire Department Citizen Corps. The Community Emergency Response Team is an embodiment of the endeavor to be prepared as a community
for any kind of disaster. DMFD Citizen Corps Program Manager Paul Schickel co-teaches Daisy Mountain Fire Department Community Emergency Response Team training with DMFD Battalion Chief Dave Jensen. CERT training in the community began 11 years ago. Currently,
one training session is held per year; however, in the past two sessions have been held per year. Schickel is aiming to return to conducting two training sessions each year, if the funding can be found. Grant funds provide most of the capital for CERT equipment, including a truck and fully-outfitted trailer with disaster-relief gear. Schickel said in a training class on April 23 that the premise of CERT training is “disaster preparedness.” CERT classes define a disaster as: “more things going on than there are rescuers.” The CERT team helps fill in the gaps in an emergency, providing needed assistance to first responders. Battalion Chief Dave Nielson described the background of CERT training across the country. “It was started from disasters like hurricanes and spurred
Vehicle fire causes 3-hour freeway delay
Smoke from the I-17 vehicle fire was visible for miles.
NEW RIVER – A vehicle fire erupted on the northbound I-17 just past the New River exit on Monday, April 27, after 12:30 p.m. Both lanes of northbound traffic were closed until about 1:30 p.m., when the left lane reopened. Crews were able to get both lanes of traffic open by 3:30 p.m. The fire started when a truck hauling a trailer overturned. Fire crews were able to quickly extinguish the blaze. It is unknown if there were any injuries as a result of the accident.
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on by 9/11,” Nielson said. He noted that the purpose of CERT training is to help citizens be able to care for themselves and their families for 72 hours after a disaster. This assists emergency workers and supports relief
efforts. Volunteers who want to provide additional aid can continue training and become deployable CERT members who
CERT DRILL
continued on page 10
Coming soon: Haggen in Anthem
Arizona stores are scheduled to become Haggen grocers in May. The Safeway in Anthem will be converting to Haggen. See the full story on pg. 11.
ON THE STAGE:
FARMER’S MARKET:
DISPENSARY:
Desert Foothills Theater
New River Farmer’s Market to
Zen Dispensary now
presenting The Wizard of Oz
be held May 9
open in New River
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OTHER : • Bluhm Column
9
• Service Directory
19
• Classified Ads
22