The City of Malibu on Monday posted a congratulatory message to the 30 Malibu residents who recently completed their CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) courses. The courses, which are offered by the City of Malibu free of charge, are designed to help instruct residents in disaster preparedness, first aid and safety training, and is very popular in the city.
Classes contain modules focused on disaster preparedness, fire suppression, medical care, search and rescue, terrorism and team organization and disaster psychology.
CERT graduates can choose to continue to volunteer through the program and may choose to gain additional certifications and credentials.
In addition to CERT, the City of Malibu is promoting several emergency preparedness events for February:
•On Tuesday, Feb. 18, residents ages 55 and over are invited to a senior disaster preparedness class from 8:30-9:30 a.m. With special emphasis on preparedness for older adults and people with mobility issues or access and functional needs, the class will provide free emergency preparedness kits to participants ages 55 and above who bring photo IDs to class. Those who wish to participate are asked to reserve spots through the city’s website, by emailing Public Safety Specialist Sarah Kaplan at skaplan@malibucity.org or by calling 310.456.2489 ext. 368.
•On Thursday, Feb. 20, and again on Saturday, Feb. 22, community members are invited to attend a community wildfire protection plan workshop, where city leaders will discuss the Malibu disaster plan currently in development. The plan is “focused on identifying and addressing local hazards, risks and vulnerabilities from wildfire. It provides a road map of action items to help the community prevent, mitigate, respond, and recover from the potential wildfire threat. It may also assist the city and its partners in qualifying for state and federal funding opportunities to implement the plan,” according to information from the City of Malibu. The first workshop, on Thursday, Feb. 20, is set to begin at 6 p.m.. The second workshop, on Saturday, Feb. 22, begins at 10 a.m. Both will be held at the Malibu City Hall Multipurpose Room. Learn more at malibucity.org/firesafety.