Seward County Emergency Management Offering Community Emergency Response Team Basic Training

Liberal, Kan. — Seward County Emergency Management is offering a Community Emergency Response Team basic training weekend at Seward County Community College in the Business and Industry Building on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 18-20.
The training will teach community members how they can help be part of the solution if Seward County first responders are overwhelmed in a disaster.
Seward County Emergency Management Deputy Director Tim Newman stated, “The recent hurricane and floods in the Southeast U.S. makes the point in bold. When disasters happen, people may need to rely on themselves and each other for a period of several hours to several days until professional assistance can even access them. The CERT Training gives regular citizens the knowledge they may need to bridge the gap between when the disaster happens and when the first responders can arrive.”
The CERT classes are instructed by Subject Matter Experts from local emergency managers, police, fire and EMS. It will teach basic disaster response skills like Disaster Preparedness, Fire Safety & Utility Controls, Hazardous Materials, Disaster Medical Operations, Light Search and Rescue, Terrorism and Active Shooter Safety, and Disaster Psychology
After the basic training, graduates can apply for the advanced team. Seward County’s advanced team is an organized group of volunteers who meet once per month. Advanced CERT Team members receive additional training to fill specific emergency roles within a response to a disaster.
The class is open to all over the age of 18 (younger with a parent on a case-by-case basis), and residents are especially encouraged to sign up.
To register, please contact 620-417-1170.