WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

[DataPacRat]

One fine day, at your hero's civilian ID's residence, a knock is heard upon the door, and a man with a clipboard and some flyers is there.

 

"Hi, there, I'm Ned, from number 43. I'm the neighbourhood leader for the new 'Community Emergency Response Team' we're starting up. We're gong to be having yard parties the first Saturday of every month to get together and train on things like CPR, fire safety, first aid, search and rescue, and so on; the next one is a barbeque. What with all the alien invasions, monster attacks, and other supervilliany going on, the police and fire officers are getting overwhelmed - but with less than 40 hours of training, us civilians can take care of 95% of the simpler stuff, so they can take care of the hard stuff. Can I count on you to help out?"

 

In the next few weeks, when disaster strikes, local CERT members start appearing to help out - they take the grab-and-go bag hung by their bed, a flashlight, their shoes, and start rescuing themselves, their family, and their neighbourhood; help locate casualties, set up neighbourhood command posts (the most important step), coordinate with regional authorities (via anything from ham radio to bicycle couriers), set up shelters, and otherwise do good works.

 

Does your hero join the training sessions in his civilian ID, his hero ID, or avoid them entirely? Once disaster actually arrives, does he help out as a civlian CERT member or a superhero? As a superhero, how does he deal with all these civilians running around once any given disaster strikes?

 

Does it make any difference to your hero if the 'Pink Bunny Foundation', about which little is otherwise known, donates money and equipment (eg, fireman's tools, protective clothing, radios, training books, food, water, tents, field commodes, greaseboards, prizes for trainee lotteries, etc) to all the local CERT groups?

 

 

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_emergency_response_team has more details on the concept...)

[bwdemon]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Generally, my character would ignore them as a civilian, but encourage them (not join them) as a hero. I wouldn't want people looking around wondering where Bill was when Bill was the guy actually fighting the Villain-of-the-Day, so you couldn't viably support the CERT in your civilian ID.

 

It's a good idea to have a CERT; if nothing else, they help bring the community together. However, you'd need a pretty good reason to keep suspicion off of you (traveling for work, 24hrs on-call, etc.) or else the community might start to wonder why you haven't joined up. Maybe get a second place to stay for a few days at a time so you're at home a little less often.

 

As for the PBF... I'd probably ignore it as a typical charitable organization unless given reason to look into it. There are so many charitable trusts out there looking for places to donate money that this would hardly raise an eyebrow. Well, the name might raise an eyebrow or two...

[Chuckg]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Starguard -- has a public ID, and lives in the New Sentinels superbase anyway. (She's the housekeeper.)

 

Dr. Pain -- has a public ID.

 

Baron von Darien -- you mean mundanes are finding out where he lives? Time to move!

 

(Alternately, a little vampiric hypnosis and Ned remembers that I turned him down for some completely sensible reason that makes total sense and doesn't need to be questioned, followed up on, thought about, or remembered. Really. Maybe a medical condition or something.)

[Blue]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Uncle Slam deals with disaster in his own way.

Anthem would absolutely participate. She would be one of the more gun-ho participants and would probably thank the guy who asked her to join numerous times. She has neither a secret nor a public ID; basically some of the locals know who she is and to come to her if they need help. So the guy may or may not realize who she is. Either way, she'd want in.

[SatinKitty]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

FIRESTORM: Might do Public Service Announcements about or for them. They might want her for publicity purposes. She'd definitely help out.

Same with DRAGON JANE. She has a public identity as a new Model. Most of my characters would probably help out.

WICCA would probably never be approached - unless they were doing this in Babylon too.

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Black Cat has a public ID, and would train people. She is all about getting everyone involved. When her head student at her martial arts school started a vigilante goodguy martial arts agency just after her ID was revelaed, she helped him out too.

 

Meeb also has a public ID - he sort of has too, but he wouldn't likely be of much help

 

Ballistic would help in Secret ID.

 

Terminal Velocity would decline.

 

Sift - well One of her IDs Katrina would likely be busy doing weird things, but Kelsey would do it.

[Black Rose]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Penumbra volunteers with the local Uni's Campus Patrol; it's amazing the number of muggings/rapes that don't happen when someone who can look through shdaows at range is on the case. He'd be all in favor of the concept; anything that makes it so people can better protect themselves, thus increasing the capabilities of official law enforcement/fire fighters/EMTs/etc., can only be a good thing. Problem is, he's got a lot on his plate (all voluntarily, 'cause he's a schmuck), so he probably wouldn't be able to do much himself. But if they needed a place to meet, or store stuff, or something like that, he'd be glad to help.

[Marketeer]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Blackberry would be very concerned about people getting hurt while trying to assist.

 

On the other hand, she loves it when people help each other, and would be eager to lend her assistance.

 

So, in practice, she'd be jumping into danger and being actively involved in hero-ing, while simultaneously telling everyone else not to do so "because it is dangerous!"

 

[EverKnight]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Stockade would decline from joining in in his secret ID by claiming he was too busy. In reality he wouldn't want to encounter a situation where people could notice he weighs 800Kg. It would be embarrassing if he were told to be the subject while everyone else practices their 'fireman's lift'. Besides he could help out more in his hero ID where he can fully utilise his strength.

 

He would be impressed at the results the civilians are achieving with their efforts though their presence does give him more to worry about as he would be worried they may get hurt.

[Brandi]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Irving totally has a public ID. But he'd be happy to help if they asked him!

[dbsousa]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Golden Eagle ,as Dexter Morache, lives in a building that hires its own security. If he moved to the suburbs, he would tell CERT that his travels make it difficult for him to commit to a schedule, but that he would be willing to donate money and DEXCorp safety devices to the cause. As the owner of Good Guys, Inc, he would be willing to have a superhero visit the group to give a talk on neighborhood safety and sign autographs...

 

Toreador would get involved as a civilian, keping his sword, cape and toreador's outfit in the secret compartment of his guitar case, in case he encountered something beyond the normal criminal threat.

 

Bouncer would say "no thanks, I'm busy" in his civillian ID, but shadow the group in his Hero ID. If the group got in over it's head, he would bounce in to save the day...

[McCoy]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Millennium, public ID, will fully endorse and enthusiasticaly support the idea.

 

Cheeta, secret ID, "Yes, I'd love to come to the meetings, but I'm a Pro athlete. That means I sort of work weekends. I'll stop by when I get a chance, really, but I can't make it on a regular basis.

 

Iron Will, public ID, "I'm 13, don't you have age limits?"

 

Snow Leopard, public ID, pops claws, cuts her wrist down to the bone, and holds it where Ned can watch it healing in front of his eyes. "When you can do that, you can play in the league I'm in. In the meantime, the best way for you to help is by staying out of the way so I don't have to worry about rescuing you!"

 

Dolphin, public ID, will support. "people making preporations and having control of their fate is always good."

[Zed-F]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Soulbarb in secret ID wouldn't get invited since she is a minor. Her mother might, though. As a heroine, Soulbarb is jealous of her privacy, and if these guys know about her, there's something wrong.

 

Cerulean has a public ID and lives at the Spire, floating several hundred feet above the ocean off Providence. However he does have a condo in a wealthy neighborhood, so he might be approached there. He would be encouraging, but point out that as he is a sentry not just for the city but for all of the north-east US and, indeed, the world, he wouldn't be able to spend much time with them personally. He doesn't see anything particularily unusual about the name 'Pink Bunny Foundation', at least not relative to the names people give other things in this world.

[Adventus]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Adventus: public id. He would join it. It would be a most unusual CERT. Because he lives in Beverly Hills,Ca. Movie stars and producers everywhere. He would give seminars on entering burning or collapsing building and what to do in case of an earthquake. He is a Red Cross Disaster Rapid Response member. These are the first people who arrive on the scene when a disaster happens. And he is a smoke jumper, no parachute of course. When you are made of adamantium, not much can hurt you. He also has a degree in structural engineering.

[Lethosos]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

Queen of Spades, as Alenia Walthiel would have to turn it down. Getting into one of these things will make it a big hassle to go superheroing, as she'd be expected to move people out of the way, not meet danger head-on.

[Guest HeroPink!]

Re: WWYCD: The Friendly Neighbourhood CERT

 

One fine day, at your hero's civilian ID's residence, a knock is heard upon the door, and a man with a clipboard and some flyers is there.

 

"Hi, there, I'm Ned, from number 43. I'm the neighbourhood leader for the new 'Community Emergency Response Team' we're starting up. We're gong to be having yard parties the first Saturday of every month to get together and train on things like CPR, fire safety, first aid, search and rescue, and so on; the next one is a barbeque. What with all the alien invasions, monster attacks, and other supervilliany going on, the police and fire officers are getting overwhelmed - but with less than 40 hours of training, us civilians can take care of 95% of the simpler stuff, so they can take care of the hard stuff. Can I count on you to help out?"

 

In the next few weeks, when disaster strikes, local CERT members start appearing to help out - they take the grab-and-go bag hung by their bed, a flashlight, their shoes, and start rescuing themselves, their family, and their neighbourhood; help locate casualties, set up neighbourhood command posts (the most important step), coordinate with regional authorities (via anything from ham radio to bicycle couriers), set up shelters, and otherwise do good works.

 

Does your hero join the training sessions in his civilian ID, his hero ID, or avoid them entirely? Once disaster actually arrives, does he help out as a civlian CERT member or a superhero? As a superhero, how does he deal with all these civilians running around once any given disaster strikes?

 

Does it make any difference to your hero if the 'Pink Bunny Foundation', about which little is otherwise known, donates money and equipment (eg, fireman's tools, protective clothing, radios, training books, food, water, tents, field commodes, greaseboards, prizes for trainee lotteries, etc) to all the local CERT groups?

 

 

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_emergency_response_team has more details on the concept...)

 

 

Glarg: Lives at the team's base, so this wouldn't happen to him.

 

Panweesio: Gives Ned a fiver, smiles, closes the door. If Ned tries to get Panweesio to join, Ned's facing "No speaka Engish, sorry." or a "deaf" person. Then it's time to pull up stakes and move somewhere else. Somewhere even worse, where fools don't go knocking on the doors of strangers, for fear of getting shot.

 

Thena: Points out her more obvious non-human features, says "I do my part, as one of the people the police call on for what they can't handle. I'm sorry, but joining your group would be a waste of my abilities. If you want resources or training, I'll do what I can, or arrange for things like that. Oh, and be careful; getting in the way can be deadly."

The Pink Bunny thing would catch her attention, but if no more happens re. it, she won't investigate.

 

Lana van Hoom: How the h:hush::hush:l did "Ned" get passed the best private security money can buy? The people she's hired wouldn't go along with (another!) FBI test of her (and the gated-community guards might not (or might)), so "Ned" is some kind of superbaddy. She looks through the peephole and hits all the panic buttons she can reach, then flip to the "other" and hope s/he can handle "Ned."