Residents and workers in Concord will have an opportunity this spring to learn how to prepare for emergencies through a free Community Emergency Response Team training program.
Concord’s Community Emergency Response Team, commonly known as CERT, will host a Basic CERT training course over three consecutive weekends, with classes held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. The training is scheduled for May 30–31, June 6–7, and June 13–14. Participants must attend all scheduled dates in order to complete the program and graduate.
The course is designed to teach residents how to better prepare for disasters and assist others when professional responders may be delayed. Topics include understanding local hazards, signing up for emergency alerts, building disaster stay-boxes and go-bags, using a fire extinguisher, and practicing basic first aid and other hands-on emergency response skills.
Most classroom sessions will be held at Centre Concord, located at 5298 Clayton Road. A hands-on disaster exercise will take place on June 13 at Baldwin Park, 2730 Parkside Circle.
The training is open to Concord residents and those who work within the city. Limited space may be available for participants who do not live or work in Concord. Individuals outside the city who are interested in participating are encouraged to email trish.beirne@cityofconcord.org for additional information.
Registration requires downloading and completing a pre-registration form, which is available on the City of Concord’s website. Completed forms must be emailed to trish.beirne@cityofconcord.org. Applicants will receive a confirmation email once their registration has been reviewed.
The CERT program is sponsored by the Concord Police Department and is part of the City of Concord’s broader efforts to improve community preparedness and resilience in the event of emergencies.