The community emergency response team has many functions when terror strikes.

Terrorists have infiltrated many Shomron communities on several occasions since the start of the "intïfada" four years ago. Panic races through the community. Children in school become agitated and frightened. Parents at work worry about the safety of their children. The roads are closed to all but military and emergency rescue squads.

In the confusion, no one knows what to do. Do you go to the nearest bomb shelter? Do you run home and lock the door? Should you go to the school and take your children home? What if you are hurt and need assistance before the army or emergency medical personnel arrive?

The Department of Social Services of the Shomron Regional Council, in conjunction with the Israel Defense Forces has developed a unique community emergency response project that trains residents of our communities to respond within minutes of an emergency situation in order to take care of many areas that need attention:

Education: Contact all schools in the area; account for all children; send trained paraprofessionals to the schools and kindergartens to calm the children.

Health: Give assistance to local health clinics.

Emergency terrorist response team: neutralize the terrorists; coordinate flow of information; maintain contact with the army and injured.

Social Services: Send representatives to homes where people were injured or killed to help calm them and assist them in coping.

This initial response is crucial in maintaining calm throughout the community and providing the infrastructure for the professional municipal teams comprised of social workers, psychologist and community workers to then take the reins and manage the crisis situation.

This program, maintained by the Department of Social Services, already exists in each of our 33 communities.

We still need to train additional volunteers and provide refresher courses for our hundreds of existing volunteers.

Here's how you can help:

Volunteer training programs ...... US $7,500
Continuing education program ......... $5,000