Special Police Emergency Response Team (SPERT)

TEAM 800

(Implemented 9/30/06) 

A team of Special Fire Police members from Cumberland County established to respond as requested by any mutual aid emergency services organization through the Cumberland county EOC. It is intended that SPERT would report to and work with the existing command of any incident and assist the local OIC as requested.   

Our goal is to provide the county of Cumberland and all local communities with a professional team of Volunteer personnel trained to handle traffic/crowd control and security at unusual disaster incidents. These incidents would be those of long term and determined to be beyond the normal scope of mutual aid. The SPERT response would be to assist in providing additional mutual aid assistance to County, local government and state agencies when requested. Assistance may include any duties authorized under the Commonwealth of PA laws governing Special Fire Police (Title 35).  

SPERT team members must meet certification requirements and follow SOG’s setup by the team commanders. This group of officers consists of an overall commander and zone commanders. When dispatched by Cumberland County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), a commander will:

·        Coordinate with the local incident command

·        Determine the scope and needs of the incident.

·        Request additional manpower and equipment if necessary

·        Be responsible for requesting necessary resources.

SPERT commanders are trained and capable of assuming incident command if requested to do so. 

SPERT is part of the Cumberland County Fire Police Association and operates under the direction and by-laws of such.

Application for membership in SPERT and further information can be found at the above link.