As part of its ongoing efforts toward community-wide preparedness, the City of Malibu is offering the next round of the highly popular Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. The free in-person classes will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., Aug. 17 through Sept. 26 at Malibu City Hall. All classes will be held on Tuesday evenings, except the first class (Aug. 17) and the second to last class (Sept. 21), which will be held on Thursdays. Learn how to get your family, business, school, or organization better prepared for wildfires and other disasters. CERT offers training in basic first aid, search and rescue, use of fire extinguisher, disaster psychology, and more.
For more information, call Emergency Services Coordinator Sarah Flores at (310) 456-2489, ext. 237 or email Saflores@MalibuCity.org.
Following a major disaster, professional first responders who provide fire and medical services may not be able to fully meet the demand for services. Factors such as communications failures, road blockages, and the number of victims, may prevent people from accessing the emergency services they have come to expect at a moment’s notice when 911 is called. People will need to rely on each other to meet immediate lifesaving and life-sustaining needs, particularly in isolated neighborhoods that may be cut off from main roads for a period of time.
Email the Public Safety Specialist at PublicSafety@malibucity.org to find out more about the next CERT Class.
The CERT program was developed in 1985 by the Los Angeles City Fire Department to provide basic training in safety and lifesaving skills to the general public. It has since been adopted and enhanced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Fire Academy. The course is now recognized nationwide, and over 50,000 citizens have been trained to date.