Courtesy of the San Benito County Office of Emergency Services:
The San Benito County Office of Emergency Services is excited to announce the graduation of 20 new Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members. These 20 community members participated in over 24 hours of training, which culminated in putting their skills to the test in a final simulated disaster exercise held at the Hollister Airport. Utilizing fire extinguishers loaned for training by Tri-County Fire Protection, Inc. and with assistance from the Hollister Fire Department, Hollister Fire Explorer Post 343, and American Medical Response, course participants responded to a number of scenarios that were based on realistic events and allowed them to gain valuable hands on experience, as well as receive feedback from professional responders.
San Benito County is susceptible to a variety of hazards, including earthquakes and flooding, among others. CERT is a FEMA certified course and all San Benito County CERT members are taught to the national standard, and during a disaster, CERT members are able to apply their training to assist their community in times when professional responders may be overwhelmed with calls. This most recent CERT course was led by Volunteer Instructor David Soliday who ensured the course covered the required material, all while maintaining a positive attitude and making it engaging and fun for all participants. David’s dedication to the San Benito County CERT program and his eagerness to assist others are among his many fine qualities, and the San Benito County Office of Emergency Services is extremely grateful to David for his assistance in conducting this CERT training course.
Using skills learned in the classroom and during exercises, participants are now better prepared to safely and appropriately provide assistance to their family, neighborhood, community, and workplace following a disaster. Additionally, these 20 new CERT members are now eligible to be deployed in the community to assist with large scale emergency and disaster incidents (e.g., a large earthquake with widespread damage), as well as participate in continued training opportunities.
There is no cost for CERT training and all materials are provided. For those interested in future CERT training opportunities, please email [email protected] or call the San Benito County Office of Emergency Services at 831-636-4168.
Emergency Services graduates 20 new CERT members
