Snap To It!

By: Greg St. James
       CERT Manager

The Montgomery County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) conducted a snap drill of its “Go Team” late last week. 17 CERT members assembled from all over the county within 60 minutes of an alert to participate in a line search for a simulated missing child. The search successfully found the “child” after a 25 minute line search in difficult terrain and humid conditions.

Division Chief Alan Hinde was in command with CERT Program Manager Greg St, James. CERT volunteer Cynthia Halota ran the CERT volunteers as the CERT Duty Officer for the day. The CERT Go Team is being developed by the Division Of Volunteer Services and Community Outreach to be a ‘force expander’ for MCFRS and other public agencies.

In the photo below, Division Chief Hinde conducts a ‘hot wash’ with the CERT team after the drill in Rockville.

Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) Program To Hold Basic Training Class

By: Greg St. James

CERT Program Manager

The next CERT class is scheduled to begin April 11, 2013. The class runs Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons. April 11 through May 11 at:

Montgomery County Public Safety Headquarters

100 Edison Park Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Please note that the final practical will be on Saturday May 11th to avoid Mother's Day.

The initial CERT Training equals 30 hours of instruction and hands on exercises. Each session is unique so please confirm the hours and your availability before committing to participate.

The topics currently covered within the 30 hours are: Disaster Preparedness, Damage Assessment, First Aid, CPR /AED, Triage, FRS Radio Use, Fire Safety / Fire Extinguisher Usage, Light Search and Rescue, Hazardous Materials Awareness, Incident Command System (NIMS), Pet Safety, Terrorism Awareness, and Mass Casualty Response. The final class is a practical hand’s on culmination of the training you’ve received.

All applicants are requested to make a good faith effort to attend every class; missed units must be made up before the Official FEMA Certificate of Completion is given.

Go here to Learn More About CERT Training

Please click here to complete this application and forward it to Registrar@montgomerycert.org  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Learn more at: Montgomery County CERT

Registration is Open For Spring 2012 Basic Community Emergency Response Training Class

By: Greg St. James, Montgomery County CERT / Fire Corps

Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service is happy to announce registration is open for our Spring 2012 Basic Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) class.CERT helps you prepare your family, your neighborhood, and your workplace for emergencies and disasters. Topics include CPR/First Aid, Fire Safety, Search and Rescue, Pet Preparedness, Family Disaster Kits, Incident Management, and Terrorism Awareness. Montgomery County CERT stresses hands on practical training taught by professional EMT’s, Firefighters, Educators, and International Disaster Responders.

CERT training is free to county residents 18 and older, and takes place twice a week over the course of month. Students are required to attend all sessions to receive a FEMAcertificate of completion.. The Spring 2012 class will take place in Gaithersburg on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings from March 14, through April 28, 2012 with a break included for the spring Holidays.  CERT operates on a first come basis for a limited number of seats.  To learn more please click HERE.

Please click here to complete an application and forward it to: Join@montgomerycert.org

Registration is Open For Spring 2012 Basic Community Emergency Response Training Class

By: Greg St. James, Montgomery County CERT / Fire Corps

Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service is happy to announce registration is open for our Spring 2012 Basic Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) class. CERT helps you prepare your family, your neighborhood, and your workplace for emergencies and disasters. Topics include CPR/First Aid, Fire Safety, Search and Rescue, Pet Preparedness, Family Disaster Kits, Incident Management, and Terrorism Awareness. Montgomery County CERT stresses hands on practical training taught by professional EMT’s, Firefighters, Educators, and International Disaster Responders.

CERT training is free to county residents 18 and older, and takes place twice a week over the course of month. Students are required to attend all sessions to receive a FEMA certificate of completion.. The Spring 2012 class will take place in Gaithersburg on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings from March 14, through April 28, 2012 with a break included for the spring Holidays.  CERT operates on a first come basis for a limited number of seats.  To learn more please click HERE.

Please click here to complete an application and forward it to: Join@montgomerycert.org

Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) - Get Involved!

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates residents in disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their communities and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. Using training learned in the classroom and during hands-on exercises, CERT members can give critical assistance to others in their neighborhoods or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in safety education and emergency preparedness projects in the community.

CERT programs serve in more than 170 communities nationwide. CERT is managed by the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and is based on the DHS/FEMA/Citizen Corps national standard curriculum and certification. The CERT training program is a 20-hour course, offered free to Montgomery County residents, over a 7-week period.

Upon completion of the course, CERT graduates are often assigned to neighborhood teams where they play an important role in community safety. For class schedules and information and to get CERT-ified, contact Greg St. James by phone (240-777-2407) or via e-mail (join@montgomerycert.org). More information is also available on the CERT website.

The next CERT Basic Class will be offered September, 2011.