On the Origins of CERT
www.arrl.org/ares-el?issue=2013-01-16

I read your column in the January 2013 issue of QST regarding ARES and CERT.

I'd like to provide a little historical perspective indicating that an ARES/CERT affiliation existed long before FEMA adopted the concept which, in fact, was created by local government.

In the early 1980's the Coronado (California) Police Department, where I served as Police Chief, had a very large and active ARES program and as we were responsible for emergency preparedness in the city our department also had an active citizen emergency preparedness program.

The nearby city of San Diego, through its fire department, developed the CERT concept. Indeed I believe they were the originator of it.

My department's Emergency Preparedness coordinator, Sergeant Dick Stolpe, suggested that we "marry" our ARES program into a CERT approach and we did exactly that.

Sergeant Stolpe's suggestion was soon copied by multiple other cities in Southern California, which saw the advantages of a citizens emergency response team having the reliable communications services that only Amateur Radio could provide.

- Jerry Boyd, N7WR,
former Chief of Police, Coronado, California