Community Emergency Response Team – CERT – training begins Oct. 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with classes continuing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and then finishing on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Classes are open to the public.

CERT educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

People have to take all the classes to get their certification but missed classes can be made up

Local CERT organizer Paul Dutton runs the sessions and invites all community members to get involved. To sign up for the class, call Paul or Lisa Dutton at (818) 249-8378 or Deputy Jorge Valdivia at (818) 236-4021.