Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) basic training will be offered in Ferndale on Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons over 4 weeks beginning April 30th. This is a rare opportunity to receive this all-important training without having to travel outside of Ferndale.
According to the organizers, Whatcom County CERT, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) training enables ordinary citizens to safely act as first responders in the event of a disaster.
The basic training course provides 24 hours of instruction that are a combination of classroom study and hands-on exercises. The course wraps up with a simulated disaster exercise in which students demonstrate their skills with volunteer ‘victims.’
The basic training curriculum includes:
- Disaster Preparedness, Hazard Mitigation, Local Vulnerabilities
- Fire Safety, Fire Suppression, Utility Controls
- Triage, Life Saving Interventions
- Light Search & Rescue Operations
- Public Health & Hygiene, Head to Toe Assessment, Basic Treatments
- Disaster Psychology & CERT Organization
The course fee is $50.00 for all 8 sessions and can be paid at the first class session by either cash or check. Course fee discounts are available for cases of financial hardship. Anyone interested in attending can enroll online at http://www.whatcomready.org/enroll.