Downey's Community Emergency Response Training (CERT)

_JOIN THE TEAM!_CLASSES AVAILABLE: _Spring Session (Must attend all 3 days) _ * Dates: April 27th, May 11th and May 18th (rescheduled as of 9/29/2018) * Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. _Fall Session (Must attend all 3 days): _ * Dates: September 7th , 14th , 21st * Time: 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. _AN INTRODUCTION TO THE COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT)_ _WHAT IS A CERT MEMBER?___ A CERT member is a person who is trained to prepare for and respond after a disaster in their neighborhood. _WHO CAN JOIN CERT?_ Anyone 18 years or older who is interested in helping his or her neighborhood in preparing for a disaster and provide assistance afterward. Must participate in all three days of training. _DID YOU KNOW…_ There is a very good chance that your neighborhood will be on its own during the early stages following a catastrophic disaster. After  a catastrophic disaster, citizens will volunteer to help. Without proper training these people can expose themselves and others to potential injury and even death. Experience has shown that basic training in disaster survival and rescue skills improves the ability of citizens to survive until responders or other assistance arrives. _THE CITY OF DOWNEY COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT) PROGRAM_ The City of Downey has become part of a national network of CERT communities. Downey's Office of Emergency Management and Fire Department manages a program that is designed to help neighborhoods prepare for and respond after a catastrophic disaster such as earthquakes, floods and other major emergencies. Individuals completing CERT training will be able to: * Increase their neighborhood’s disaster readiness * Assess damage after a disaster * Extinguish small fires and teach fire safety * Perform light search and rescue operations * Perform triage and provide medical services to the injured * Organize procurement of supplies _WHAT TYPE OF TRAINING DO CERT MEMBERS RECEIVE?_ CERT members learn how to take care of themselves, their families and neighborhoods through training in the following areas: * Disaster Preparedness * Fire Suppression * Medical Operations * Damage Assessment * Light Search & Rescue * Team Organization * Disaster Psychology * Disaster Simulation _SPONSOR_ City of Downey * Office of Emergency Management * Fire Department _QUESTIONS?_ Contact DOWNEY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT VIA ready@downeyca.org .