HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — Ottawa County Community Emergency Response Team, known as CERT, will begin a spring basic training course for the public on March 4, 2020, at the Ottawa County Fillmore Street Complex located at 12220 Fillmore St. in West Olive.
Evening classes are held one night a week for three hours from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm for eight weeks. The training will follow the new 2019 FEMA curriculum. During the upcoming training, attendees will learn about the following topics:
- Preparedness – For disasters and every day
- Fire Safety; use of Fire Extinguishers & Hazmat Awareness
- Disaster Medical Operations & Triage
- Light Search and Rescue
- CERT Organization & Incident Command basics
- Basic Disaster Psychological First Aid and Basic Critical Incident Stress Management
- CERT Member Roles During Disasters
- Participation in a Hands-On Disaster Simulation Exercise
CERT Basic training is chance for individuals, community members, and faith-based groups to easily and conveniently learn preparedness — how to be ready, stay safe, and help others in the event of an emergency or a disaster.
CERT is one of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Citizen Corps programs. CERT in Ottawa County is organized through the Ottawa County Emergency Management Office.
These classes are open to Ottawa County residents on a first-come, first-served basis. Space is limited. Those accepted into the program must attend the first and last class as well as at least six units to get certified.
Training participants are not required to become Ottawa CERT members; information will be available at the training to learn more about how to apply to the Ottawa County CERT team and other ways to apply your new skills in service of the community.
Registration is available at https://ottawacert-2020-spring.eventbrite.com Learn more at www.ottawacert.org or call Ottawa County’s emergency management office at (616) 738-4052.
