CERV (Community Emergency Response Volunteers)

CERV Middlesex stands for Community Emergency Response Volunteers, which is a county-wide program to improve safety and security in our communities – large or small, urban or rural. Operating at the grassroots level, CERV Middlesex trains volunteers to help within their own communities by preparing for emergencies based on local risks. CERV volunteers meet the challenge when an emergency strikes, be it a flood, a severe storm, a major power failure or another unexpected hazard. Should a serious emergency situation occur impacting the lives and property of County residents, CERV Middlesex (Community Emergency Response Volunteers) will help to open and operate Reception Centres, and can provide caring support to individuals and families affected by the emergency. CERV Middlesex volunteer training includes: Emergency and disaster response skills Volunteer health & safety Basic fire safety & prevention Standard First Aid & CPR, including use of a Public Access Defibrillator Reception Centre operations Registration & Inquiry Service training Introduction to severe weather Personal/family emergency preparedness Nonviolent Physical Crisis Intervention Safe Food Handling Participation in municipal emergency exercises CERV Middlesex capitalizes on local volunteers’ knowledge of their area, and on the “can-do” spirit and compassion which Ontarians demonstrated during the Ice Storm in 1998, the Blackout in 2003 or the Highway 402 Snow Storm in 2010. In 2021-22, the CERV Middlesex Team worked thousands of volunteer hours, assisting as ushers and offering a friendly welcome at COVID vaccination clinics across the County. By focusing on our own communities, CERV Middlesex meets local needs and maximizes the potential for quick deployment and efficient and organized response in an emergency. Middlesex County began training CERV volunteers in 2007; trained CERV Volunteers will be a great help to our County & municipal staff when emergencies strike. CERV Team members also help to promote local emergency preparedness and provide assistance at major community events.