Local residents graduate from CERT training.
After over six weeks of emergency response training, 40 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) students participated in their final practical exercise, a simulated earthquake with multiple victims. They practices lifting vehicles, putting out fires, triaging the injured, and managing an incident.
In the aftermath of a major disaster, the demand for professional first responders can exceed availability. We are so grateful these Ventura and Santa Paula residents are more prepared and feel confident taking action.
This program equips residents with essential knowledge about potential local disasters and how to safely, swiftly, and responsibly respond. Participants will learn how to reduce fire hazards, set up medical treatment areas, assist responders, conduct light search and rescue, and more!
Completing the CERT program requires 24 hours of training and each graduate will receive a certificate of completion, a manual, and a CERT disaster start-up pack containing a helmet, gloves, vest, and safety goggles.
After several months of wild weather and natural disasters, the city of Ventura is re-instituting their program called the Community Emergency Response Team.
It’s a free program that trains civilians to respond to emergency situations before, or in place of, first responders, such as assessing the level of trauma, applying tourniquets, CPR, putting out fires and more. It’s the first time the C.E.R.T. course has been offered since COVID-19 shut it down.
Ventura Police Department Mac Douglas said they received 93 applications for the course, showing that the community wants this kind of education.
“The fact of the matter is when we have a major incident, our first responders, as good as they are, are going to be overwhelmed,” Douglas said. “So, the community needs to take more of a responsibility for their own preparedness and supporting themselves and their neighbors.”
