Teen CERT courses in Rio de Janeiro

Since January 2011 flooding and landslides have resulted in hundreds, possibly thousands of deaths in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Our group of volunteers has taught the Teen CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) course in schools and to community groups throughout the region and now, in partnership with local authorities, we have the opportunity to take the Teen CERT training into ten public schools in the city of Nova Friburgo, one of the most impacted in the disaster of January 2011.

According to the Municipal Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction there are currently 18,632 people living in houses which have a high to very high risk of collapse due to landslides in the event of heavy rainfall, and another 2,656 at risk from flooding.

We desperately need funding to order to obtain the necessary equipment that we require in order to teach these courses. Your support will help us train young people who will in turn help prepare their families, schools and communities for and, to respond to, future emergency situations.

Please visit my blog for more information about our activities and the courses we have run in the region.

Thanks for your help.

Paul