Alice Williamson said she believes Sim Hogan is the right person to lead Oglethorpe County volunteers in keeping the community safe.
Hogan was nominated by Williamson to be the new CERT chairman last November, and he assumed the position in January.
“He’s so knowledgeable, and he’s willing to go out there,” said Williamson, former leader of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). “I could see that passion in him, like what I had.”
CERT “educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may occur where they live” and trains those volunteers in emergency response skills. CERT is entirely made up of volunteers and is funded only by grants and private fundraising.
While the team hasn’t recently been called upon for a county emergency, the group consistently meets, provides training workshops and participates in drills by the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. Oglethorpe County CERT also participates in community events such as Ghost Out at OCHS and Community Day.
“I believe that we're doing our job right if we don’t get called out,” Williamson said. “It’s a good thing.”
Service through the years
Hogan, a retired chemical engineer, was certified in emergency industrial first response in 1989 and joined Oglethorpe County’s CERT chapter about 11 years ago. He spent about two years as deputy chairman before his promotion.
“I want to contribute and be in a role that can support the existing professional emergency response groups in the county,” Hogan said.
After 10 years of serving Oglethorpe County, Williamson said she believed it was time to step down and “see if there’s a new direction that it could go into.” Williamson, who has also served with the Civil Air Patrol and the Navy, said she’s proud of the group’s accomplishments the past decade.
“(The county) didn't even know we existed when I first took over, but now they do,” Williamson said.
The future of CERT
The team has received grants, acquired a fully equipped emergency service trailer, created a Facebook account, began working with the fire departments and is now widely recognized by the Oglethorpe County community.
Both Hogan and Williamson are focused on adding new members.
The chapter has seven certified members and three new candidates. While many have backgrounds in emergency response, anyone 18 and over can join and get their CERT certification.
“We're really looking for an infusion of people to pass on our experiences,” Hogan said, “and basically just empower CERT to be, you know, the best resource for the community that it can be.”
In addition to growing its volunteer base, Hogan is working toward two main goals: introducing amateur, or ham, radio to emergency response teams in Oglethorpe County and acquiring an emergency response vehicle.
“It’s the camaraderie and teamwork when everyone comes together to do a job,” Hogan said. “Whether it’s at a training function or at a response drill, the teamwork is really what makes everything so enjoyable.”