Has anyone taken classes offered by CERT, it is no charge and is 8- 3hr classes.
CERT Link
Here is what they are saying
History
The CERT program was first developed by the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985, and the first CERT Team completed its training in early 1986. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) now uses the program as a national model for other communities, and President Bush endorses this training as part of the Citizen Corps Program.
How it Works
The basic CERT training program is a 20-hour course, typically delivered one evening per week over an 8-week period. Training sessions cover disaster preparedness, fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, team organization and terrorism awareness. The training concludes with a disaster simulation in which participants practice skills that they learned throughout the course.