The Calloway County Office of Emergency Management is offering Community Emergency Response Team training to teach disaster preparedness and response. The eight-week course teaches fire safety, light search and rescue, first aid and emergency team organization.
Director Bill Call said CERT training is important in emergencies where seconds count.
“It’s knowing how to use a fire extinguisher to put out a fire for example or to treat a wound or someone that’s hurt. Seconds count in those situations so training is important," Call said.
Call said Hurricanes Harvey and Irma underscore the importance of preparedness and said people prepared for one disaster are in better shape to face others.
“The idea is with some amount of training they’re prepared to help their family members, neighbors, workplace acquaintances or even the whole community in knowing how to respond,” he said.
Call said there have been CERT courses in Marshall, McCracken and Trigg Counties. CERT is a national preparedness program sponsored by FEMA.