PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION

Cape Cod Chapter – American Red Cross

The Cape, Islands and Southeast Massachusetts Chapter serves a population of more than 1, 273,000 people in the 15 towns of Barnstable County and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket and Bristol, Plymouth, and Dukes Counties. We are part of the Massachusetts Region of the Red Cross.

Americorps Cape Cod

Barnstable County AmeriCorps Cape Cod (ACC) is a full-time residential service program committed to addressing the environmental and disaster related needs of Cape Cod and its fragile natural resources. Each year, up to 32 service-minded adults commit 11 months to responding to the needs of the community through hands-on service focused on Natural Resource Management (Land & Water Conservation), Disaster Preparedness and Response, Environmental and Community Education, and Volunteer Engagement.

Armature Radio Emergency Service (ARES)

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes.

Eastern Massachusetts Amateur Radio Emergency Service Facebook Page

Yarmouth-Dennis Community Emergency Response Team

The Federal Emergency Management Agency began promoting nationwide use of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept in 1994. The Yarmouth-Dennis CERT was stablished in 2002. CERT training has promoted a partnering effort between emergency services and the people that they serve. The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations, or workplaces in basic response skills. CERT members are then integrated into the emergency response capability for their area.

Cape Cod Disaster Animal Response Team

Our Mission is to EDUCATE the general public about disaster preparedness for companion animals and have TRAINED volunteers ready to RESPOND in times of disaster.

Dennis-Yarmouth Police Explorers

Cape Cod and Islands Council Post 1, Dennis-Yarmouth Police Explorers are members of the Yarmouth-Dennis Community Emergency Response Team. Post 1 Explorers complete the ten week FEMA CERT Basic Training program and serve as members of the Teen CERT Division of Yarmouth-Dennis CERT and serve to support public safety efforts at community events and provide manpower augmentation at the Regional Emergency Shelter.

Dennis Fire Department

The Dennis Fire Department provides personnel and material as well as training and logistical support to the regional emergency shelter including emergency medical staffing and shelter management. These responsibilities are shared with the Yarmouth Fire/Rescue Department. 

Dennis Police Department

The Dennis Police Department has served as the lead coordinating agency for the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional Emergency Shelter providing the spearhead on training and exercise. The Dennis Police also provides personnel and material as well as training and logistical support to the regional emergency shelter including policing and security services for the shelter and shelter management. Some of these responsibilities are shared with the Yarmouth Police Department.

Dennis-Yarmouth Regional Schools Police Detachment

The School Resource Officers of the D-Y Police Services unit are often called upon to assist with shelter support and management on very short notice. The transition from School Resource Officer to Shelter Resource Officer is seamless because of the familiarity with the facility and established working relationships with the Facilities and Maintenance Team and those with people from public safety and non-governmental organizations staffing the shelter. With an SRO from the Yarmouth Police and the Dennis Police already on-site bridges are easily built and working relationships easily reestablished to create a heightened efficiency in opening and operating the regional emergency shelter.  

Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District

Facilities and Maintenance Division

When open, the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional Emergency Shelter occupies Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School. With the exception of the facilities and maintenance crew all school personnel are required to leave and relinquish the building to the shelter manager. The D-Y Facilities and Maintenance Team provides around the clock support to the shelter team to maintain the integrity of the facility in storm conditions and the comfort of shelter residents.

Food Services Division

D-Y Food Services personnel maintain an operating kitchen and dining facility and provide three hots to go with the cots. The D-Y Food Services Team has often served as the breadbasket for the entire regional shelter system on the Cape, preparing food for shipment to Harwich, Sandwich and other regional shelter locations.  

Medical Reserve Corps

The MRC is a national network of local groups of volunteers committed to improving the public health, emergency response, and resiliency of their communities. The Cape Cod Medical Reserve Corps was established by the Health Agents of the 15 towns that comprise Cape Cod. The unit is under the direction of the Barnstable County Health and Environment Dept. The unit partners with the local Regional Emergency Preparedness Committee, the American Red Cross, and many other agencies. The unit consists of approximately 350-375 volunteers both medical and non-medical.

Yarmouth Fire Department

The Yarmouth Fire/Rescue Department provides personnel and material as well as training and logistical support to the regional emergency shelter including emergency medical staffing and shelter management. These responsibilities are shared with the Dennis Fire Department.

Yarmouth Police Department

The Yarmouth Police Department provides personnel and material as well as training and logistical support to the regional emergency shelter including policing and security services for the shelter and shelter management. These responsibilities are shared with the Dennis Police Department.