Posted: 8/12/2011 11:52:26 AM EDT
|
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. |
They want so much of your personal info that I'm afraid to sign up. I think the cert people are going to be the ones loading people on the FEMA trains and sending them off to the camps.  Sarcasm off. I plan on taking the class next time it's offered in my town. They even teach some emergency coms and encourage folks to get their HAM license. Because of my location the chemical refineries help sponsor the program and they have some cool toys. For free training I don't think you can beat it plus you get to know more of the folks in your AO that are like minded. The only thing I don't like is they have to wear hard hats. I'll go thru my free training but in the event of an actual emergency I ain't wearing some stupid looking hard hat. If I need something like that I grab a PSAGT or something. |
|
Years ago (~2006) I worked for the city of Cerritos, in CA.
They had a mandatory class that all city employees had to take regarding emergency/disaster preparedness. It covered chain of command, COMs, dealing with panic, dead bodies, mass casualties, and how to interface with large organized relief groups (like red cross). Our city ID had a little note on the back advising all Law Enforcement personnel to allow us access past any check point so we could aid in the city's disaster plan. They definitely seemed to have their shit together! |
|
I took a local CERT class a couple years ago and enjoyed myself. Honestly it was the first time my wife and I used a fire extinguisher. Lots of good information but since then I continue to do my own thing.
I just take it as cheap training that could come in handy sometime. |