Community Emergency Response training classes now offered

The City of Dallas Office of Emergency Management is now offering Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) classes for neighborhoods, community organizations or workplaces. The free classes are taught by emergency personnel and cover basic emergency response skills.

The CERT program is committed to creating opportunities for volunteers to help the community prepare for and respond to emergencies. The goal is to have all residents participate in making their neighborhoods safer by providing the tools and training to prevent and handle threats of terrorism, crime and disasters of all kinds.

“The CERT program is an excellent opportunity for the citizens of Dallas to play an important role in helping to safeguard, prepare for and respond to major emergencies in our community,” said CERT Program Manager Cassandra Wallace.

CERT classes can be designed specific to a neighborhood and at convenient days, times and locations, with at least 10 participants. The training includes disaster preparedness, fire safety, medical operations, search and rescue, disaster psychology and terrorism. All nine curriculum modules must be completed in order to become certified.

To see a video of the CERT training experience visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGd27-lGJYY

To learn more about CERT and to sign up for classes visit http://www.dallascert.com/training.asp. and www.fema.gov/community-emergency-response-teams.