This fall, the Brookline Police Department is offering a specialized 10-week Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program. The training will be offered weekly, on Mondays, from 6:30-9:30pm, starting in early November. Classes will be held primarily at the Brookline Emergency Operations Center, 870 Hammond St and the BPD Headquarters, 350 Washington Street. The CERT training program includes: CPR/AED and first aid, basic fire suppression, personal emergency preparedness, mass care, shelter operations, directing traffic and search and rescue. Please be advised that some parts of the training may be physically demanding (i.e., holding and operating a fire extinguisher). Attendance at a minimum of 8 classes is mandatory for certification. In addition to the 10-week certification program, regular continuing education courses are offered throughout the year in partnership with the Brookline Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) on a variety of topics such as, amateur radio operations, NIMS/ICS, operating flu clinics, stress during emergencies and dealing with animals in emergencies, as well as, field trips, drills and meetings. Currently, there are over 175 certified CERT members and we hope to add an additional 25 through this training. The skills developed in this training will enable CERT participants to assist the Towns emergency workers during a major event. These events could include an attack on our nation, a natural or man-made disaster, extended electrical outages, missing person searches, weather-related crises, or any number of situations that we are hopeful will never face our community. Areas in which volunteers would likely be used include assisting at shelters and emergency dispensing sites, assisting with an evacuation and manning information booths or telephones during a crisis. Some examples of activations for the CERT team have included: managing a shelter for hundreds of stranded runners following the Boston Marathon bombing, leafleting during the water crisis, opening shelters and assisting victims of building fires, helping families throughout Massachusetts following recent hurricanes and blizzards, and assisting at community events. If you are interested in participating in the Brookline CERT Training Program, please request an application via email at [email protected] and return it by October 15th. Please be aware that space for this class is limited. In the event that we are not able to accommodate all applicants, we will be looking to offer an additional CERT training program next year. Please feel free to contact the CERT Program Coordinators Officer Casey Hatchett and Sergeant Mike Raskin at (617) 730-2734 with any questions. The application and a draft schedule is attached. Thank you in advance for your service to the community.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 14:40:09 +0000
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