Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • August 11, 2010 Area Community Emergency Response Team training will be offered at the Bergen Law & Public Safety Institute in Mahwah starting Wednesday, Sept. 29 from 7 to 9 p.m. The training provides residents with basic skills and information on what to do before, during, and after a disaster to aid themselves, their family, and their community. In any emergency, whether resulting from a natural disaster, crime, or act of terrorism, local government resources will be the first responders and the first line of defense. However, following a major disaster, first responders who provide emergency services on a day-to-day basis may not be able to meet the demands placed upon them. Factors such as the number of victims, communication failures, and roadblocks may prevent people from immediately accessing the type of services they have come to expect at a moment’s notice by dialing 911. People will have to rely on each other for help to meet their immediate needs until professional emergency responders can reach them. CERT can help to fill that need. There is no cost to participate in the CERT training. The program will run for nine Wednesday nights. At the completion of the program, basic CERT safety equipment will be issued to each participant. Class size is limited, so immediate registration is encouraged to ensure a place in this class. As an optional follow-up to the free training, many residents join Mahwah CERT, which has been actively serving the community for many years in a variety of capacities. CERT has opened and run a county storm shelter, handled traffic and pedestrian flow at Mahwah Day, assisted with traffic control and car parking at the Ramapo College graduation, and had major responsibilities at the recent H1N1 swine flu vaccination clinics. For more information, Mahwah residents may contact Mahwah CERT Coordinator Allan Becker at (201) 9601932 or e-mail mahwahcert@optonline.net for a course application or additional information. Interested persons Free emergency response training available may also visit the website at www.mahwahcert.org. Mahwah Community Emergency Response Team is made up of volunteer residents who are trained to support professional first responders (police, fire, EMTs, et. al.) in all types of emergency situations while serving the community in other ways during normal times. CERT is part of a national program and is organized locally under the auspices of the Mahwah Office of Emergency Management. What every taxpayer should know Taxpayers need to be careful to protect their personal information. Identity thieves use many methods to steal personal information and then use that information to file a tax return and get a refund. Here are 10 things the IRS wants people to know about identity theft so they can protect themselves. The IRS does not initiate contact with a taxpayer by e-mail. Anyone who receives a scam e-mail claiming to be from the IRS should forward that e-mail to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov. Identity thieves get personal information by many different means, including: Stealing wallets or purses, posing as someone who needs information about an individual through a phone call or e-mail, looking through trash for personal information, and accessing information provided to an unsecured Internet site. Anyone who discovers a website that claims to be the IRS but does not begin with ‘www.irs.gov’ should forward that link to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov. To learn how to identify a secure website, visit the Federal Trade Commission at www.onguardonline.gov/tools/ recognize-secure-site-using-ssl.aspx. If a person’s Social Security number is stolen, another individual may use it to get a job. That person’s employer may report income earned by them to the IRS, thus making it appear the victim did not report all of his or her income. An individual’s identity may have been stolen if a letter from the IRS indicates more than one tax return was filed for him or her, or if the letter states the individual received wages from an employer he or she does not know. Anyone who receives such a letter from the IRS and believes his or her identity has been stolen should respond immediately to the name, address, or phone number on the IRS notice. Those whose tax records are not currently affected by identity theft, but believe they may be at risk due to a lost wallet, questionable credit card activity, or credit report, should provide the IRS with proof of identity. Submit a copy of a valid government-issued identification – such as a Social Security card, driver’s license, or passport – along with a copy of a police report and/or a completed Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. As an option, contact the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit toll-free at 800908-4490. Follow FTC guidance for reporting identity theft at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. Persons may have to show a Social Security card to an employer when starting a job or to a financial institution for tax reporting purposes. Individuals are urged not to routinely carry that card or any other documents that display their Social Security number. For more information about identity theft, including information about how to report identity theft, phishing, and related fraudulent activity, visit the IRS Identity Theft and Your Tax Records Page, which can be found by searching “identity theft” on the IRS.gov home page. �������������� You don’t have to do any homework to know where to advertise your back to school specials... The Villadom TIMES is publishing three great issues to help you start the fall selling season off right. Timely editorial featuring pertinent articles and back to school tips will be included to ensure readership. Your advertisement in each of these special sections will reach 56,300 residences in your market area. PUBLICATION DATES: Wednesday, August 18 Wednesday, August 25 ADVERTISING DEADLINES: Wednesday, August 11 Wednesday, August 18 YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD NEWSPAPER Call today to place your advertisement. 201-652-0744 ZONE 1: Franklin Lakes, Wyckoff, Midland Park • ZONE 2: Glen Rock, Ridgewood ZONE 3: Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Waldwick, Saddle River, Upper Saddle River • ZONE 4: Ramsey, Mahwah