You can make a difference during a disaster!

The number and scope of incidents needing attention immediately after a disaster can tax emergency services. While the 911 system prioritizes calls by level of importance, local Community Emergency Response Teams near the scene can start helping to save lives and property during the crucial minutes before professionals arrive.

CERT volunteers extinguish small fires, turn off utilities, provide first aid, assist in evacuations and perform other time-critical tasks. Their basic emergency skills are valuable in any major disaster, such as fires, earthquakes or floods. In training you will also learn light search and rescue, basic fire suppression, emergency management, disaster psychology and medical triage. The 20-hour course occurs over a seven-week period and ends with a community disaster drill involving other Peninsula emergency responders and CERT teams. Classes will begin Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. Click here for class schedule.

If you’d like to serve this important role in your community, please contact Fire Captain Jennifer Valdez at 831/647-5642, or at Jennifer.Valdez@fire.ca.gov.