CERT Training Registration Now Open
West Pierce Fire & Rescue (WPFR) invites community members who live or work in Lakewood, University Place and Steilacoom to attend the next session of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) classes. The training will be held March 5-23, 2024 and registration is now open.
Aimed at preparing groups in the community to prepare for and respond to disasters, these CERT classes follow a model developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and are offered in cities across the United States. The idea behind this model is to teach people in neighborhoods how to help each other in the first few minutes or hours following a disaster – before emergency responders are able to get to render professional help. In the classes, students will gain hands-on skills, such as how to put out small fires, render first aid in a disaster situation, perform light search and rescue and much more.
The series of six classes will be held two nights per week (Tuesday and Thursday) for three weeks, from 6:00 – 9:00pm, and will culminate in a practical exercise to be held on a Saturday from 10:00am – 2:00pm. Classes are held at WPFR stations and instructors are personnel with special experience in the particular area, or subject matter experts from other areas. To visit the class schedule, please click here.
Participants must be at least 18 years old. Participants who are at least 14 years old may attend with a parent also registered or at least 16 years old with a parent’s permission. The classes are free! For more information or how to register, please visit our website.