DISASTER STRIKES!!... Do you know to turn off the gas and water to your home? Do you know basic first-aid to immediately treat your wounded family or neighbors?
If not, becoming part of a Community Emergency Response Team can be the answer
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is a nationally supported, locally implemented initiative that teaches people how to better prepare themselves for the hazards and emergencies that may affect their communities. CERT trains community members, in basic disaster response skills such as team organization, disaster medical operations, fire safety, and light search and rescue. Local CERT programs train and organize teams of volunteers, typically within neighborhoods such as yours, to assist their families, neighbors, co-workers, and other community members during emergencies when professional responders may not be immediately available to provide assistance. Before, during, and after disasters, CERT volunteer teams perform basic response activities, including checking in on neighbors, distributing information to the public, supporting emergency operations centers, and helping to manage traffic and crowds. The ability for CERT volunteers to perform these activities frees up professional responders to focus their efforts on more complex, essential, and critical tasks. CERT volunteers also support their communities by organizing, promoting, and participating in emergency preparedness events, activities, and projects.
If you would like to become part of CERT and learn the skills that will allow you to provide immediate help to your neighbors, the Lewisville Fire Department in partnership with the Town Of Lewisville and the Public Safety Committee, is sponsoring a CERT course in June. The dates for the course are June 3rd, 4th, and 5th from 8am to 5pm each day at the Mary Alice Warren Community Center. To register for the course, go to the North Carolina TERMS site (terms.ncem.gov/TRS. Once you are on the home page, click on either “Log In” (if you have a NCTERMS account or “Create Account Now” if you do not have an account. Once you are logged in, click on the “Calendar” link on the left hand side of the page and go to the June offerings and click on the CERT (NC0317) course. The Event Description page will open up and then click on “I want to register” towards the bottom of the page to complete your registration.
For more information about CERT please visit the ready.gov site.