Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training

Black Forest Fire/Rescue will offer the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training course this September 2008. Everyone is encouraged to take this free 16-hour course.

The course schedule includes two evenings, plus one full day:

Wednesday September 24, 6-10 p.m.
Friday September 26, 6-10 p.m.
Saturday September 27, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

All classes will meet at Black Forest Fire Station One, 11445 Teachout Road (at Burgess).

The goal of the CERT program is to create stronger, better prepared communities, by teaching people how to safely and effectively respond to emergency situations.

When emergencies happen, CERT members can support first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects to improve community safety.

Black Forest Fire/Rescue firefighters and emergency medical technicians will teach the short course in disaster preparedness and basic disaster response skills. You will learn fire safety, basic incident management, basic first aid, and simple disaster medical operations. At the end of the course, student teams will practice their new skills in a mock disaster exercise.

To register, call Station One at 495-4300, during weekday business hours. Registration preference will be given to residents of the Black Forest area, because Black Forest Fire/Rescue wants as many Black Forest residents as possible to receive this training.

CERT is one of several Citizen Corps programs administered by the Department of Homeland Security. For more information about the CERT program, see www.citizencorps.gov/cert