The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and provides training in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.
Local community members are invited to take free disaster response training classes taught by the Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority—these classes start in late September.
The Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority CERT program focuses on training individuals to help themselves and others following wide-spread emergencies and disasters. If a disastrous event overwhelms or delays the community’s professional response, CERT trained individuals can assist others by applying basic response and organizational skills.
Those trained in basic CERT skills learn how to help others until professionals arrive. Classes will teach people how to:
- Organize a team to establish priorities and develop an action plan.
- Suppress small fires so they won’t turn into big problems.
- Perform light search and rescue to help reduce life-threatening situations.
- Use triage and disaster medical operations to treat injuries.
Classes begin Sept. 28 on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
The last class is Saturday, Nov. 13 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information about the program click here. To register for the next session, click here. Classes will be held at a select fire station in Kent.
