NORWICH – There’s a new effort underway to form an Early Response Team (ERT) in Chenango County. On February 8 at the Broad Street United Methodist Church, about 30 volunteers have signed up to participate in an Early Response Team Training.

This training has been coordinated in cooperation with the City of Norwich's Emergency Management Office.

“The early response team will be a set of second responders, a group that has an interest in helping community after a disaster,” said City Emergency Management Director A. Wesley Jones. “Flooding is the number one threat. So that's what I see them being used for.”

Team Coordinator Tom Holmes, identified a need for a group of volunteers to assist community members who have been impacted by local disasters.

“All too often those of us living in Chenango County are hit with heavy rains and periodic flooding that badly affects our neighbors. After the first responders have left, there’s frequently a very disheartening mess left before repairs can begin and folks can begin to rebuild their lives. There’s a need to help clean that mess, and to provide emotional support throughout the recovery process,” said Holmes.