20th Anniversary Lakewood Ranch Community Emergency Response Team Celebrates our First Responders
The event honors the police officers, firefighters, EMS personnel, and search-and-rescue teams who protect the community, while also spotlighting trained civilian volunteers who step in during disasters when emergency services are stretched thin.
The 20th Anniversary “Celebrate Our First Responders” event will be an engaging, hands-on experience for residents of all ages. Attendees will have the opportunity to “Touch a Truck” (emergency vehicles), see how drones are used in an emergency, and meet local first responders face-to-face including representatives from the East Manatee Fire & Rescue, Manatee County Sheriff's Office, Manatee County Emergency Medical Services, and Manatee County Search & Rescue teams.
In addition, the event will feature live LWR CERT volunteer demonstrations and learning opportunities, including:
• Basic first aid techniques
• Stop the Bleed demonstration
• Using hands only CPR and AEDs for early intervention that can save lives
• Emergency Radio Communications
These interactive experiences are designed to educate, inspire, and empower residents with skills they can use to help their families, friends, and neighbors in an emergency.
LWR CERT was founded in 2006, when Lakewood Ranch was still a growing community made up of neighborhoods like The Country Club, Edgewater, Summerfield, Riverwalk, and Greenbrook. Forward-thinking community leaders understood the importance of being prepared, and with the support of local homeowners’ associations – CEVA, CCWA, GVBA, and SRVA, LWR CERT was born.
Two decades later, Lakewood Ranch has grown tremendously, and so has CERT. There are multiple CERT groups in Manatee County, each serving their local neighborhoods. LWR CERT alone consists of more than 250 trained volunteers organized into 20 neighborhood-based teams.
LWR CERT volunteers live in the communities they serve. They train in partnership with East Manatee Fire Rescue and learn critical skills such as emergency first aid, bleeding control, shock management, airway assistance, and light search and rescue. Many volunteers come from professional backgrounds like healthcare, education, accounting, insurance, the military, or public service, but no prior experience is required. What unites them is a shared commitment to helping others.
This training matters most in the critical window after a disaster, when 911 call volume can double or triple and first responders may be delayed due to unsafe conditions. After Hurricane Ian in 2022, for example, it took until well into the next day for first responders to catch up with emergency calls. LWR CERT volunteers are trained to fill that gap – checking on residents, identifying urgent needs, and relaying critical information.
Every LWR CERT volunteer carries a radio connected to a robust, three-tiered communications network that remains functional even when power, internet, and cell service are down. This allows LWR CERT to communicate directly with Manatee County Emergency Services and help direct professional responders to where they are needed most.
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3442400-0
