To prepare residents for a disaster, and empower them to make a difference in the community, the City of Goleta is offering its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) spring training beginning April 28, 2016.

The free training runs every Thursday evening from 6-9 p.m. through June 16 and is offered in both English and Spanish. Childcare is available and snacks are provided. 

The eight-week class is held at the Goleta Valley Community Center located at 5679 Hollister Ave.

The CERT program is designed to help communities be prepared and respond effectively during a disaster. Through training and preparation, civilians can serve as a crucial resource capable of handling several emergency roles.

Emergency services will not be available to help everyone directly following a disaster, so it is important for civilians to be prepared and take action in order to help others in their community, including loved ones.

Throughout the eight-week training, participants will learn different aspects of fire safety, medical operations, search and rescue, disaster psychology, terrorism and team organization.

The final week is a full scale drill simulating a natural disaster. CERT participants will be the responders, working as a team to rescue the survivors.

This is a great program to participate in in order to get prepared for a disaster and learn to take action as a community responder.

Participants will be given a manual and a backpack with uniform and their national CERT certification.

Make a difference and sign up today; there are only a few spaces still available. Contact Liliana Encinas at 805.961.7571 or lencinas@cityofgoleta.org.

— Valerie Kushnerov is the community relations manager for the City of Goleta.