North Bend appointed Julie Jensen to head its community emergency response teams. In an emergency the teams serve as liaisons between between the city’s emergency operations center and neighborhoods.

Team members must learn fire suppression, search and rescue, disaster psychology and disaster medical operations.

North Bend is just beginning to assemble the teams.

“We still have so far to go. We’re going to try to accept anybody we can on the team,” said Ron Garrow, the city’s public works director.

A training course is being offered at the Snoqualmie Fire Department in May.