Jasper County, IA CERT

05/20/2026

🚨 Meet Your Jasper County CERT Team – May Feature 🚨

This month, we are highlighting CERT member Jason Walerius.

Jason joined CERT after seeing the destruction tornadoes and other emergencies can leave behind over the years. Rather than standing on the sidelines, he wanted to be part of the recovery and help communities get through some of their worst days.

One of Jason’s favorite parts of the team is working together as one group to support first responders during disasters and emergencies. That team mindset is a huge part of what makes CERT successful.

A skill Jason is most proud of learning is preparedness. Not just for CERT activations, but for everyday life. As he puts it, you never know when you may need to use these skills outside of their normal purpose.

His advice to the community is simple but important:
“Do anything you can to help prepare yourself and others to expect the unexpected. You don't know when the worst-case scenario will happen.”

And a fun fact about Jason, he has a deep musical background and is also an amateur radio operator.

Thank you Jason for being part of the Jasper County CERT team and for your commitment to helping others when they need it most.

Interested in joining CERT or learning more? Reach out to us and see how you can help make Jasper County more prepared.

05/07/2026

Congratulations to Jasper County EMA

Tonight, at the Iowa Emergency Management Association awards ceremony, Jasper County EMA was honored to receive the 2025 Emergency Management Program of the Year award. To say we are proud and humbled is an understatement.

This award recognizes an Emergency Management Commission that has made significant advancements in protecting their communities from disasters while building an integrated culture of preparedness involving individuals, businesses, and government. It also highlights the collaborative effort that helps minimize the cost of emergency management while maximizing risk reduction.

That description truly reflects what emergency management is supposed to be. This recognition does not belong to one person. It belongs to our entire team, our responders, dispatchers, city and county leaders, partner agencies, volunteers, schools, hospitals, and the communities we serve every day. Preparedness and response are never accomplished alone.

Over the last year, we have pushed hard on training, public education, school safety, disaster planning, regional partnerships, and strengthening the overall emergency response system across Jasper County. To have those efforts recognized at the state level means a great deal to us.

Thank you to everyone who supports emergency management and helps make Jasper County stronger, safer, and more prepared. We are honored, grateful, and motivated to keep building on this work.

04/25/2026

We just launched a new website!! https://jasperiacert.org/ take a look, what information should we add? Coming soon: CPR and other community trainings!

04/10/2026

We’re proud to share that Jasper County CERT is now set up to accept donations as a 501c3 nonprofit through the PayPal Giving Fund.

👉 https://www.paypal.com/us/fundraiser/charity/5877205

This program is built on volunteers—neighbors helping neighbors when it matters most. From supporting first responders during disasters to helping families after house fires or severe weather, CERT is there when people need it.

Every dollar donated goes right back into the program—supporting training, equipment, and resources that allow our team to respond and assist those in need. No funds are used for salaries or administrative overhead.

If you’ve ever wanted to support local emergency response and make a direct impact right here in Jasper County, this is your opportunity.

Help me spread the word about Jasper County Community Emergency Response Team CERT. Together we can make a difference.

04/01/2026

🚨 Meet Your Jasper County CERT Team – April Feature 🚨

We figured for April Fools, we’d start with someone who claims to be in charge… and after checking, it turns out he actually is.

Meet Chief Todd Loiselle.

Todd serves as the President and Chief for the Jasper County CERT team. He helps set the big-picture direction for the team while stepping into operations during incidents when we’re called to assist.

He joined CERT for a simple reason: to help people through a crisis. That mindset is exactly what this team is built on.

One thing Todd will tell you right away, you never stop learning here. Every meeting and every training adds another tool to the toolbox, and those skills don’t just stay with CERT; they carry over into everyday life.

He’ll also be the first to admit that communication didn’t always come naturally to him. But CERT has a way of pushing you to get better, and he’s built that skill into one of his strengths. When things go sideways, clear communication matters, and that’s something he continues to sharpen.

His advice to you is simple and solid: don’t rely on just one way to get alerts. Sirens are for outdoors. Inside, you need backup. Apps like Jasper Ready, weather alerts, and notification systems can get you the information faster and more reliably.

And for a fun fact, according to his family, Todd is the “Taco King”… a title EMA Director Robinson is not ready to concede without a fight. 😂😂

All jokes aside, Todd is a big part of what makes this team work.

If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, this is your sign. CERT is made up of people just like Todd, normal folks stepping up to make a difference when it matters most.

Stay ready, Jasper County.

03/30/2026

03/10/2026

Jasper County CERT was fortunate to take part in a large-scale disaster exercise today alongside multiple counties and the regional Disaster Task Force.

Opportunities like this allow our volunteers to train alongside first responders and demonstrate the important role CERT can play during major incidents. By assisting with support functions such as scene management, logistics, and volunteer coordination, CERT members help free up law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel to focus on the critical life-saving tasks they are trained to perform.

Exercises like this strengthen coordination, build relationships, and ensure that when our community faces a real emergency, everyone understands their role and is ready to work together.

We are proud of our volunteers for stepping up and representing Jasper County so well today.

03/09/2026

The Jasper County CERT team had an amazing time at the Jasper County Emergency Services Banquet. It is always great to gather with the dedicated responders and volunteers who serve our communities every day.

We are proud to stand alongside the fire departments, EMS providers, law enforcement officers, dispatchers, and emergency management professionals who work together to keep Jasper County safe.

CERT exists because of community members who step forward to help their neighbors when it matters most. Being part of this incredible public safety family is something we are truly grateful for.

Thank you to everyone who makes Jasper County such an amazing place to serve.

02/24/2026

Last night, we held our monthly meeting and are excited to announce that we have filled key leadership roles within our organization.

Congratulations to Chief Todd Loiselle and to our new Team Leaders, Mary Kay Gould and Lance Hawley.

Thank you for stepping up to lead and for helping shape this organization into something that both responders and the citizens of Jasper County can be proud of. Strong leadership builds strong teams, and strong teams serve strong communities.

The future of Jasper County CERT is bright.

Send a message to learn more

02/22/2026

And that’s a wrap.

Members of the Jasper County CERT team completed their Basic Training today. These incredible volunteers gave up their weekend to sharpen their skills and prepare to serve this community when it matters most.

Today wasn’t just about passing a test. They applied what they learned, worked as a team, problem-solved through real-world scenarios, and presented their findings to the group. That’s how confidence is built. That’s how discipline is developed.

What an incredible weekend of learning, teamwork, and growth.

If you’ve ever thought about stepping up and making a difference when emergencies happen, this is your sign. Reach out and join us.