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CERT Organization to SERT Club – The Transition continues… In my last article, I explained why the OHCC CERT Organization transitioned to the OHCC SERT Club. In summary, it was because the current processes of the Oceanside City Fire Department and its CERT Program no longer included the group activation of the OHCC CERT Organization (opting for individual Disaster Service Worker activation only). Additionally, they requested the name of the OHCC "CERT" Organization be changed to remove the word CERT as that term was reserved for official government sponsored organizations and not private entities. Those two circumstances ultimately led to the formation of the OHCC "SERT," the Safety and Emergency Response Team, Club. The SERT Club has the same organizational structure as other OHCC social clubs, in that it is self-governed by a Board of Directors and includes general members from throughout the community. What makes the SERT Club unique is that in addition to being a social club it is also a service club with many members also being part of its Incident Response Team. The SERT Club, through the Incident Response Team, continues with the same core focus as the predecessor OHCC CERT Organization: response to the community in the event of a disaster or significant incident. That core value will not change, but it can be strengthened and become more efficient with your support. The SERT Club is open to all residents, and I want to thank those of you who joined during our recent membership drive (and continue to join). You do not need to become a member of the Incident Response Team to join; all you need is a vision for the betterment of the community lifestyle and a willingness to achieve that vision. In addition to the Incident Response Team, the SERT Club also has a Neighbor Helping Neighbor program. This is a grassroots effort to do exactly as the name implies – help your neighbors; whether that means by some informal gesture as simply giving a friendly wave, or joining one of the several committees being established to bring neighbors, neighborhoods, villages, and ultimately the entire community together, especially in time of a disaster or significant incident. The SERT Club members have the opportunity to become the voice of the community, not to focus on street improvements, or landscaping, or paint color, but rather to focus on each other and our quality of life. It's my goal that the SERT Club Board of Directors – comprised of, and speaking for the SERT Club members, who in turn represent the community residents, will have the ability to implement life quality enhancements. To help meet that goal, your assistance and involvement is invited. Invest in your quality of living and that of your neighbors and the community by becoming a member of the SERT Club. Allow your vision to become a reality. If you have any questions about the SERT Club or wish to download a membership application please visit the website at https://tinyurl. com/ohccsert. You can also contact me at ohccsert@gmail.com. I look forward to bringing you more updates about this exciting new Club in future articles. ~ John Slayton, President, SERT Club Board of Directors SERT Club: Safety & Emergency Reponse Team Neighbor Helping Neighbor 6 | OHCC LIVING | AUGUST 2020 | One bright side of the stay-at-home period was getting to see this momma welcome her baby to the world. Photo submitted by Joann Bush

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