Peachtree City’s Community Emergency Response Team won first place in a statewide competition among other specially trained volunteer groups, Chief H.C. “Skip” Clark recently announced.

The team was one of six competing in events such as fire suppression, disaster medical operations, disaster psychology and triage. The team aced each of those events.

Peachtree City’s winning team included team leader Jenny Raspberry, Arline Cuebas, Martin Giorgi, Bob Kaczmarek, Lesli McDonald, Rhonda Williams and Dan Marsden.

The city began its CERT program in 2005, training over 200 volunteers in disaster operations and testing them at the end of each course with a mock disaster replete with specially made-up actors serving as victims to add further realism to the event.

The program is designed to train CERT members so they can provide critical support to first responders by helping victims and organizing volunteers at disaster sites, officials said. Led by police Capt. Stan Pye and Maj. Mike DuPree, the program is based on a 10-week course taught in conjunction with the city fire department and the Fayette County Local Emergency Planning Committee.

Chief Clark said he was very proud of the CERT program and congratulated the team members who represented the city.

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