(Paul Lourd/wiltondigital.com)
Founding members
The CT Statewide Citizen Corps Council recently recognized nine Wiltonians for their years of volunteer service to Wilton CERT. The Community Emergency Response Team was formed in 2004 in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Under the leadership of Dick Ziegler and Chris Gardner, CERT was organized and has developed into a respected Wilton resource well known for duties associated with traffic and crowd control, search and rescue, shelter management and staffing, and a multitude of public service assignments. Now in its 10th year, CERT has a membership of 84 people and has trained more than 150 citizens in disaster preparedness. The unit’s annual Basic Training course for new recruits is scheduled to begin next month. Class and registration information can be found at WiltonCERT.org. From left are charter members Dick Ziegler, David Finkelstein, Frazier Wright, Chris Gardner, T.G. Rawlins, and Tina Gardner. Missing from the photo are Debbie Abbott, Norris Browne, John Hall, Bo Mitchell, Colleen O’Brien, and Jeff Turner.