PUBLIC SAFETY

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Get CERT-ified! Emergency personnel cannot always immediately access our neighborhood following a major disaster. However, you can make a lifesaving difference by learning the necessary skills needed to survive the immediate aftermath of a hurricane, tornado, fire, flood or other major disaster in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) eight-week course offered by the Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Department. CERT is an eight-week course, offered at no charge to City of Fort Lauderdale residents, that provides hands-on training that will enable you to initiate and implement learned disaster rescue techniques, which can be utilized until emergency personnel are able to reach you. CERT course participants learn life-saving skills such as fire suppression, patient evaluation, search and rescue and basic emergency medical care for everyday situations. Upon completing the course, CERT graduates are often assigned to neighborhood teams where they play an important role in community safety. Don’t wait for a major disaster to learn the skills you need. Now is the time to gather up your neighbors, get CERT-ified and create your own neighborhood team that will enable you to respond immediately to an emergency situation with confidence and skill. Working together as a team can make a significant difference in your survival.		Eight-Week CERT Class Topics Introduction/Disaster Preparation Introductions/Course Objectives/Overview of City’s Emergency Response Planning Disaster Psychology/CERT Team Organization Disaster Emotional Environment/CERT Team structure and mobilization Basic Fire Suppression Fire behavior and the practical use of portable fire extinguishers Disaster Medical Operations I Patient assessment - Basic first aid Disaster Medical Operations II Basic first aid - Triage Terrorism and CERT NICE Weapons and Characteristics-Target Selection-Safety Light Search and Rescue Search and rescue operations and safety precautions Review/Graduation
Reservations for the CERT courses are accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Call today and be on your way to getting CERT-ified! To register for CERT training or to receive additional information, please call 954-828-6700 or e-mail SandraG@fortlauderdale.gov.		The next eight-week CERT class, free to Fort Lauderdale residents, is scheduled for: September 14 through November 2, 2005. The classes are from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings and are offered at the Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue Special Operations and Training Bureau, located at 2000 NE 16th Street.