Governor Rell: CPTV Special Underscores

Need for Emergency Services Volunteers

Volunteers To Field Viewers’ Questions

During Live Broadcast on September 11

Imagine if you called to report a fire or needed an ambulance and no one responded. Unthinkable? Many fear it is a real possibility.

The frightening scenario as well as solutions will be examined and discussed during the live September 11 broadcast of the CPTV documentary: “On Watch: Connecticut’s Emergency Service Volunteers.”

“This is a great opportunity for the public to become aware of the emergency needs in their communities and around the state,” Governor Rell said. “There are many Connecticut citizens who know they can make a real difference and want to volunteer. This informative documentary will point them in the right direction.”

The two-hour program will air at 8 p.m. and dozens of Connecticut’s emergency service volunteers will be available to answer the public’s questions and offer information about becoming a volunteer.

The documentary examines the importance and impact of Connecticut’s emergency service volunteers, explores the issues behind the challenges of recruitment and retention and profiles methods to attract and sustain citizen volunteers.

The film examines several emergency situations including the 2005 Avon Mountain crash, the devastating Peachtree Apartments fire in Norwich in April, the July drownings of a father and son in Voluntown and a search-and-rescue operation at Case Mountain in Manchester in August.

“In about 70 percent of communities statewide, volunteers are the first line of defense for a host of emergencies – fire, emergency medical, manmade and natural disasters, terrorist threats and water rescue,” said Commissioner James M. Thomas from the Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security. “We hope the program inspires people to volunteer.”

During the broadcast, viewers can call in on a toll-free number and talk with volunteers from various emergency organizations including EMS, FIRE, Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), Medical Reserve Corp. (MRC), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Emergency Management, Police Explorers, Red Cross, Salvation Army, State Animal Rescue Team (SART), Civil Air Patrol, and Amateur Radio. The toll-free phone number is: 877-962-5646.

The program will be rebroadcast without live call-in segments on:

·        Sunday, September 14, 2008 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on MyTV9.

·        Saturday, September 27 at 11:30 a.m. on CPTV

·        Sunday, September 28 at 6 p.m. on CPTV

(During rebroadcasts, callers can access information on recruitment by phoning 2-1-1 or 1-800-FIRE-LINE)

             “On Watch:  Connecticut’s Emergency Service Volunteers” is a CPTV Connecting Our Communities initiative in partnership with the State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Citizen Corps, the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Public Health Foundation of Connecticut.  Additional support comes from the Torrington Medical Reserve Corps.

For more information: http://www.cpbn.org/onwatch