Future Classes: AUGUST 31, 2009 start at East Coast Christian Center, Merritt island, FL 32953 CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS CLICK HERE FOR APPLICATION   Local CERT Classes The CERT course is delivered in our community by a team of first responders who have the requisite knowledge and skills to instruct the sessions. Instructors have completed CERT Train-the-Trainer (TTT) coutses conducted by their State Training Office for Emergency Management or the Emergency Management Institute in order to learn the training techniques that are used successfully by the Los Angles Fire Deparment. The CERT training for community groups is usually delivered in 2 1/2 hour sessions, one evening a week over an 8 week period. The training consists of the following: Session I, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: Address hazards to which people are vulnerable in their community. Materials cover actions that participants and their families take before, during, and after a disaster. As the session progresses, the instructor begins to explore an expanded response role for citizens in that they should begin to consider themselves disaster workers. Since they will want to help their family members and neighbors, this training can help them operate in a safe and appropriate manner. The CERT concept and organization are discussed as well as applicable laws governing volunteers in that jurisdiction. Session II, DISASTER FIRE SUPPRESSION: Briefly covers fire chemistry, hazardous materials, fire hazards, and suppression strategies. However, the thrust of this session is the safe use of fire extinguishers, sizing up the situation, controlling utilities, and extinguishing a small fire. Session III, DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS PART I: Participants practice diagnosing and treating airway obstruction, bleeding, and shock by using simple triage and rapid treatment techniques. Session IV, DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATION PART II: Covers evaluating patients by doing a head to toe assessment, establishing a medical treatment area, performing basic first aid, and practicing in a safe and sanity manner. Session V, LIGHT SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS: Participants learn about search and rescue planning, size-up, search techniques, rescue techniques, and most important, rescuer safety. Session VI, DISASTER PSYCHOLOGY AND TEAM ORGANIZATION: covers signs and symptoms that might be experienced by the disaster victim and worker. It addresses CERT organization and management principles and the need for documentation. Session VII, TERRORISM AND CERT: Participants learn the FBI’s definition of terrorism and how to identify terrorism targets within their community. They learn the B-NICE terms and their characteristics. They learn to identify actions to take following a suspected terrorism event including documentation and sheltering in place. They will describe actions they would take in scenarios presented. Session VIII, COURSE REVIEW AND DISASTER SIMULATION: participants review their answers from a take home examination. Finally, they practice the skills that they have learned during the previous 7 sessions in disaster activity. During each session participants are required to bring safety equipment (gloves, goggles, mask) and disaster supplies (bandages, flashlight, dressings), which will be used during the session. By doing this for each session, participants are building a disaster response kit of items that they will need during a disaster.