Byron-Bergen program gets international exposure

Representatives from the Byron-Bergen Emergency Response Team (BBERT) from Byron-Bergen High School attended the 2005 Bi-National Disaster Preparedness Conference at Niagara University last month to promote student involvement in emergency preparedness programs. Junior Janell Dilcher and Eric Wood, accompanied by faculty advisor Teri Henick, spent a day with first responders, emergency planners, law enforcement officials, health care providers, and community leaders sharing critical information about the measures being taken to plan, prepare and protect the Western New York and Southern Ontario regions in the event of natural and man-made disasters.

BBERT was asked to participate in the conference by Beau Alexander, Regional Project Coordinator of Special Volunteer Programs for Homeland Security. Conference presenters included John McArdle, on-scene coordinator of the Emergency Service Unit Search and Rescue and Recovery operations at the World Trade Center, and Haley Rich, who works with the U.S. Department of Education to develop school emergency response training programs for youth.

Since its inception, BBERT has been part of two mass catastrophe drills within the district and offered first aid, CPR and AED training to dozens of students. Middle and high school student members have taught lessons to elementary school-aged children about emergency preparedness and safety and have made presentations at a regional youth conference and local senior citizens' day.

A Learn and Serve America grant from the New York State Education Department helps to fund BBERT activities.