Strengthening Community Resilience through the Shawnee CST Program
Local governments diligently prepare for emergencies, yet unforeseen disasters can surpass immediate response capabilities. While external resources may activate, delays in reaching everyone in need can occur. The primary objective of the Community Support Team (CST) is to equip individuals with decision-making, organizational, and practical skills to provide immediate assistance to family, friends, associates, and neighbors while awaiting professional responders. Recognizing that people instinctively help others, CST aims to channel that goodwill into safe and effective support.
Key Goals of the Shawnee CST Program:
Personal Preparedness: Establish and maintain a personal preparedness level aligned with potential hazards.
- Safety First: Ensure personal safety while preventing actions that may compromise the safety of professional responders, disaster victims, or others in harm's way.
- Support Professional Responders: Collaborate with and support professional responders as requested during emergency situations.
- Professionalism: Conduct ourselves with professionalism across all facets of the program, fostering a culture of reliability and accountability.
- Acknowledgment and Respect: Earn and maintain acknowledgment and respect from area first responders and residents, reciprocating that respect to those we serve.
- Skill Enhancement: Continuously maintain and enhance preparedness and response skills through ongoing training and exercises.
- Response and Recovery: Actively participate in the response and recovery efforts of areas impacted by disaster, contributing to community rehabilitation.
- Promote Interest: Generate interest in the CST program through engagement with civic and community groups, encouraging broader community involvement.
Through these goals, the Shawnee CST program seeks to create a resilient community where individuals are empowered, prepared, and actively contribute to the well-being of those in need during times of crisis.