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Community Corner

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)  course - “Be Prepared Enough to Help Your Neighbor”

 The Ventura County Fire Protection District (VCFPD) in coordination with the City of Moorpark and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) will assist residents with disaster preparedness education and training through a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.

 Following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services will not be able to meet the demand for emergency services typically rendered. The local population will have to rely on each other for help to meet their immediate life saving, and life sustaining needs. The Community Emergency Response Training is a program that focuses on that preparedness. 

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 The CERT program trains people to be better prepared to respond to all types of disasters. CERT is primarily a "community disaster preparedness program" where trained CERT participants will learn how to take care of themselves, their family members and their neighbors in the event of a disaster. When major incidents occur, CERT members give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site in their community.

 The City of Moorpark Emergency Management program and the Ventura County Fire Department sponsor CERT. Moorpark CERT is free for anyone 18 years and older who lives, works, or attends school in the Moorpark area.

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 CERT training includes disaster preparedness, disaster fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, and light search and rescue operations. CERT covers actions that participants and their families should take before, during, and after a disaster. Participants learn basic disaster medical operations including life-saving skills such as diagnosing and treating airway obstruction, bleeding and shock. CERT teaches how to triage by evaluating victims through a head-to-toe assessment, establishing a medical treatment area, performing basic first aid, and practicing in a safe and sanitary manner.

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