Learn how to prepare for wildfires and other disasters with the City of Malibu’s next free CERT training course starting August 17, in-person at City Hall
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 series of seven free classes will be held on Thursday evenings from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM, August 17 through September 26 in the Multipurpose Room at Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road.
Malibu faces all kinds of disasters, from wildfires to earthquakes and landslides. Completing the free CERT training is one of the best ways to be prepared to help yourself, your family and your community during wildfires and other disasters, and it helps Malibu to be more resilient following a disaster.
CERT is a highly-acclaimed, nationwide program that empowers community members to help themselves and their neighbors during disasters. Volunteers are trained in basic first aid, fire suppression, and search and rescue so that they can provide emergency assistance to their neighbors. Studies of past disasters such as earthquakes in Italy and Japan have shown that up to 90% of the people who were rescued from collapsed buildings were helped by local people before emergency services arrived because they were already on-site. (Source).
CERT volunteers are a crucial part of the City’s ability to prepare and respond to disasters. During the Woolsey Fire, Malibu CERT volunteers contributed about 300 hours of service to the emergency response by distributing food and medical supplies, conducting wellness checks, assisting with evacuations, and administering basic first aid.
In 2017, the City Council adopted the official CERT Program Guidelines, an important step in formally incorporating the program and the trained CERT volunteers into the City’s Emergency Management System. In addition to basic CERT training, the City’s CERT Team members must also complete Federal Emergency Manager Agency (FEMA) trainings, serve at least 30 volunteer hours per year, attend regular meetings and drills, and become registered as Disaster Service Workers.
For more information about the CERT program, or to sign up, visit the webpage or call Public Safety Liaison Sarah Flores at 310-456-2489, ext. 237, or email SAFlores@malibucity.org.
Class schedule:
Thursday, August 17, 6 - 9 pm - Disaster Prep/CERT org
Tuesday, August 22, 6 - 9 pm - Disaster Medical 1
Tuesday, August 29, 6 - 9 pm - Disaster Medical 2
Tuesday, September 5, 6 - 9 pm - Fire safety and Disaster Psychology
Tuesday, September 12, 6 - 9 pm - Light Search & Rescue
Thursday, September 21, 6 - 9 pm - Terrorism
Tuesday, September 26, 6 - 9 pm - Final Drill