News
Next Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro CERT Course Scheduled
The Cities of Staunton and Waynesboro and Augusta County in partnership with Blue Ridge Community College will be offering Community Emergency Response Training (CERT). The course will be held on Thursday evenings, September 20 – November 8, from 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. at the Plecker Center auditorium, on the campus of Blue Ridge Community College.
This seven-week course uses a curriculum designed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and teaches basic skills in disaster preparedness, fire safety, first aid, terrorism awareness, disaster psychology, and search & rescue. The CERT course is designed to give the average person tools to prepare themselves and their family during severe weather or other emergencies when emergency personnel are overwhelmed and may not be able to respond immediately.
After completing the seven-week course, participants may choose to become a volunteer with the Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Community Emergency Response Team. The course is open to anyone who either lives or works in Staunton, Waynesboro, or Augusta County. The course is free and all materials are provided. Pre-registration is required. To register for the course contact Rebecca Joyce, CERT Coordinator by telephone at 540-885-5174 or by email at rebecca@cspdc.org.
CERT Sponsors Film and Discussion About 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic
The Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is sponsoring a free showing and discussion of the film “We Heard the Bells: The Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918,” on Tuesday, August 14th, 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Blue Ridge Community College, Plecker Center Auditorium (P104).
“We Heard the Bells,” narrated by actress S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order), explores the experiences of a diverse group of Americans during the influenza pandemic of 1918. Their memories frame the key questions that still drive the search for answers to help us weather future flu pandemics. Nancy Sorrells, local historian, will give a sneak peek from her upcoming presentation for the Augusta County Historical Society about how the 1918 pandemic affected us locally following the film.
Coordinated by the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC), CERT trains citizens to protect themselves, family, and neighbors from disasters and emergencies. Begun in 2003, the seven-week regional course has trained more than 500 people with a standard curriculum designed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Training topics include disaster preparedness, fire safety, emergency medical operations, and terrorism awareness. Once the basic training course is completed, CERT members have the opportunity to take advanced training courses that are offered several times a year, as well as volunteer in their communities.
To date, there are over 100 active volunteers in the Central Shenandoah Valley CERT program. CERT volunteers have staffed emergency shelters, set-up a temporary pet shelter, and manned disaster preparedness informational booths at countless community events. Dedicated CERT volunteers have spent an entire decade donating their time to making the Central Shenandoah Valley disaster resistant.
For additional information contact Rebecca Joyce at the CSPDC, at 540-885-5174 or rebecca@cspdc.org.
Request for Quotation (RFQ) – Bus Shelters & Benches
The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) is seeking quotes on the purchase of bus shelters and benches in support of the BRITE transit service.
The Request for Quote (RFQ) document can be accessed here.
Transportation Study Public Open House Set for July 19 in Dayton
Bicycle and buggy access in Rockingham County and the Town of Dayton to be discussed.
Eleven Transportation Alternatives Program/Safe Routes to School Projects Funded in Central Shenandoah Region
Mix of school, recreation, and urban improvements will enhance nonmotorized travel options.
STAUNTON (June 20, 2018) —The Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) announced today that eleven Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP)/Safe Routes to School (SRTS) projects have been awarded funding for FY2019-2020. Projects include the City of Lexington’s plan to improve pedestrian access to Lylburn Downing Middle School; creation of a Bike Boulevard in the City of Harrisonburg; construction of a trail connecting two parks and the library in the Town of Bridgewater; and completion of the third phase of the City of Waynesboro’s South River Greenway.
TAP/SRTS helps fund community-based programs and projects that expand nonmotorized travel choices and enhance the transportation experience by improving the cultural, historical and environmental aspects of the transportation infrastructure. The program covers on- and off-street bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure projects (bike lanes, sidewalks, multi-use paths), as well as Safe Routes to School infrastructure projects.
“This year’s Transportation Alternatives Program/Safe Routes to School grant awards in the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission (CSPDC) region are an excellent mix of alternative transportation improvements around schools, in cities, and throughout recreation areas. A well-rounded slate of projects like this is a great use of the TAP/Safe Routes program,” said Frank Friedman, chair of the CSPDC Board of Commissioners and Mayor of city of Lexington.
The TAP/SRTS projects were approved by the Commonwealth Transportation Board on June 20, 2018 as part of the FY2019-2024 Six-Year Improvement Program. A total of eleven Transportation Alternatives and Highway Safety Improvement Program projects totaling $2,553,900 from the CSPDC region were funded in the recently approved plan.
CSPDC staff assists member jurisdictions with grant writing, providing supporting resolutions, and coordinating application materials in each transportation planning cycle. For more information contact Ann Cundy, (540) 885-5174, ann@cspdc.org.