
This weekend, about 30 Berkeley community members are slated to complete a 20-hour training provided by the city to give them the skills to organize on their own when disaster strikes and ensure they’re ready with crucial information when emergency crews arrive. The CERT academy, run by the Berkeley Fire Department, is a city program that brings free training to Berkeley residents, who can then go on to take more specialized classes and share information with their neighborhood groups. The weekend training program teaches participants how to set up a chain of command structure and organize into key groups with the aim of turning a chaotic situation into order. Training modules include fire suppression, search and rescue operations and disaster first aid. Earlier this year, Berkeleyside reporter Emilie Raguso was invited to participate in the training course. Scroll down to see her photographs from the May event to see what some local residents will experience this weekend. Learn more about the Berkeley CERT program here.

























Related:
Berkeley unites for earthquake safety (04.29.13)
Join the Berkeley-wide emergency drill April 27 (04.10.13)
Berkeley targets underserved for disaster preparedness (10.04.12)
Gear up for the Big One with help from friends (06.17.10)
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