(Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers learn to extinguish small fires during their training. Credit: Maui Civil Defense Agency)
By Staff Reports
(Maui) – Maui Civil Defense Agency announced that it will offer a free, four-week series of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training classes on Lanai. CERT is a volunteer training program that prepares people to help themselves, their family and their neighbors in the event of a disaster.
CERT training is free to Maui County residents. Taught by instructors from the Maui Fire Department and Lanai Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting, the 24-hour course is taught over four Saturdays and consists of classroom instruction and field exercises.
Students will learn to:
- Identify and anticipate hazards;
- Reduce hazards in the home and work place;
- Extinguish small fires;
- Conduct light search and rescue;
- Set up disaster medical treatment areas;
- Apply basic medical techniques; and
- Help reduce survivor stress
CERT training is open to people of all abilities, ages 18 and older; no previous experience needed. Ages 14-17 may attend with a parent or legal guardian.
The schedule for Lanai classes is:
10/22 Saturday Lanai High & Elementary School, Cafeteria 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
10/29 Saturday Lanai High & Elementary School, Cafeteria 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
11/05 Saturday Lanai High & Elementary School, Cafeteria 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
All classes are required to complete the course, and participants must register to attend the training. Class size is limited; registrations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.
“During a disaster, emergency service personnel may not be able to reach everyone right away,” said Anna Foust, Maui County Emergency Management Officer. “CERT volunteers provide critical support to emergency responders, providing damage assessment information and assisting victims until professional emergency responders can arrive on scene.”
To register, please contact Maui Civil Defense Agency at (808) 270-7285 or email your name, address and phone number to cert@mauicounty.gov.