Students Recognized by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management

By Mike Porter

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s Citizen Corps program has recognized three Virginia Commonwealth University students for their roles in helping to establish the university’s first Campus Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT) training program.

VCU Campus CERT President Rebah Holton, Vice President Belinda Andrews and Patrick Ashley, who is president of VCU’s International Association of Emergency Managers student chapter, received the Virginia Citizen Corps SuperCERT award.

C-CERT training at VCU took place during the winter and concluded with a tornado preparedness exercise on March 2. During the exercise, student volunteers simulated tornado “victims,” providing the C-CERT students an opportunity for the triage portion of their final class drill.
 
C-CERT training was provided with the assistance of the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Virginia Department of Transportation.

The students were recognized during National Volunteer Week, which took place the week of April 18.