“The last few weeks have been pretty sunny for our group,” reported Carnation-Duvall Citizen Corps President Kathy Brasch.

“First, 45th District Representative Toby Nixon reported that Good Samaritan protection for retired medical-care-givers was written into the Revised Code of Washington,” said Brasch. “This goes a long way towards liability protection of our Medical Reserve Corps volunteers. Toby has been a bulldog and hasn’t let go of this issue.”

In 2004, Nixon helped bring liability protection to contractors who respond to emergencies as volunteers. Citizen Corps volunteers Ward Norden and Mark Smith successfully testified in Olympia for the contractor-protection bill.

“Next,” continued Brasch, “Medical Reserve Corps itself got off to a good start. Our organizing meeting led by Dr. Angie Lawton attracted Mr. Jesus Reyna, the Region X Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator working in the US Department of Health and Human Services.”

Carnation-Duvall’s program will be the first registered MRC in King County.

Brasch added, “And Safeco recently awarded a grant for $5,000 to the Carnation-Duvall Amateur Radio Club (CDARC), enabling the purchase and installation of a repeater antenna that will enhance emergency radio communications in the Snoqualmie River Valley. Ric Eittreim, CDARC’s president, has worked on that proposal tirelessly and that work paid off.”

The radio club, a Citizen Corps affiliate, will work with Water District 119 to erect the antenna on top of the water tower high above the north side of Cherry Valley.

At the end of April the Council will graduate another 20 members of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) that learn how to be of help to their neighbors when disaster strikes. The Carnation-Duvall CERT volunteers total over 150 local residents.

“And Rowland, our webmaster and my husband,” said Brasch, “has just completed a revision of our Web site. Take a look at www.carnationduvallcitizencorps.org. It’s a long name for a group that is long on community involvement and success.

“We are also looking forward to teaming up with the cities of Carnation and Duvall and the fire departments to host a Safety Fair in September at the Duvall Fire Station,” added Brasch.

For more information on the Carnation-Duvall Citizen Corps and its programs visit the Web site or send a self-addressed stamped envelope and your request to CDCCC, P.O. Box 644, Carnation, WA 98014.