• Do you want to learn to protect yourself, your family, and your neighborhood until help arrives?
• Do you want to help your community in larger emergencies?
• Do you want to be part of a team of trained, involved, and friendly volunteers who care about you and about our community?
• Do you want to get fun and interesting training in how to handle various emergencies?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then you should look into joining the Montgomery County Community Emergency Response Team!

Our next training starts May 19, 2009! Register Now!

The CERT program is managed and administered by the Montgomery County Department of Fire and Rescue Services, based on a national standard curriculum, part of Citizen Corps. CERT evolved from a program originally developed by the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985 to train people to respond to large emergencies before outside help arrived. The program encompasses useful knowledge and skills for any member of our community who wants to learn how to protect their family and their community during emergencies. At the end of the training, participants will be empowered with the following knowledge and abilities:

• Identifying and mitigating potential hazards in your home and workplace.
• Initiating plans to prepare yourself and your loved ones for the hazards that you face.
• Learning skills to help yourself, your loved ones, and your neighbors or fellow employees until professional response resources arrive.
• Working cooperatively as a team within your neighborhoods or workplaces.
• Participating in continuing education and training.
• Volunteering for projects to enhance the public safety of your communities.

During training, CERTs learn to:

• Prepare for the hazards that threaten their communities.
• Apply "size-up" and safety principles.
• Locate and turn off utilities.
• Extinguish small fires.
• Identify hazardous materials situations.
• Triage and treat victims.
• Set up a medical treatment area.
• Understand the psychological impact of a disaster on themselves and others.
• Apply response skills in a disaster simulation.
• Serve as Community Safety Advocates for the Department of Fire and Rescue Services in the area of fire and injury prevention.

CERT MEMBERS DO NOT:

• Suppress large fires.
• Enter structures that they consider heavily damaged and dangerous (e.g., leaning or moved from foundation).
• Perform hazardous materials cleanup or respond to incidents involving radiological, chemical, or biological agents.
• Perform medical, fire, or search and rescue operations beyond their level of training.
• Activate or deploy unless called for by Montgomery County Fire & Rescue or the Emergency Management Group (EMG).

We look forward to hearing from you if you are willing to help us create a stronger, safer, and prepared community. Our goal is to create a culture of preparedness and prevention in Montgomery County. Space is limited and you must be age 18 or over to participate.

Personal protective equipment that will be provided includes:

• Hard Hat
• Vest
• Goggles/Eye Protection
• Work Gloves
• Flashlight

Class Dates and Times:

• Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm - 10pm
• May 19, 21, 26, 28 and June 2, 4, 9, 11

You must attend every session to become certified.

Class Location: Sodexo Building / .9801 Washingtonian Blvd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Questions - Contact Greg St. James by phone (240-777-2407 ) or via e-mail (training@montgomerycert.org).

Our next training starts May 19, 2009! Register Now!