Citizen Emergency Response Training Begins in September

Individuals who live and/or work in Arlington County are invited to participate in Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. The eight-week course, which follows a national curriculum, trains citizens to be safer in their own home and workplace and to save and sustain lives in the event of major disasters. Topics covered include disaster preparedness, disaster medical operations, fire suppression and utility shut-off, disaster psychology, team organization and terrorism. Participants must be at least 18 years old (16 and up if accompanied by an adult) and able to participate in all aspects of the training, some of which requires lifting and carrying. Two courses, which meet six weeknights and two Saturdays, are scheduled to begin in September. To-date, over 400 County residents have completed this free training, many of whom are active members of neighborhood teams. Contact ArlingtonCERT@aol.com for additional information.