MORGAN HILL
– When a major emergency strikes, firefighters, police and
medical workers will likely be overwhelmed almost immediately and
unable to respond to every need.
MORGAN HILL – When a major emergency strikes, firefighters, police and medical workers will likely be overwhelmed almost immediately and unable to respond to every need. With four major earthquake faults in the Bay Area and the always-present possibility of flooding, fire storms, mudslides, chemical spills and dam failures plus the new face of terrorism, there is plenty to be prepared for.
Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San Martin residents have the chance to learn what to do for themselves and their families until help arrives and how to prepare for major threats, by taking a series of Saturday morning classes beginning this weekend.
CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) classes offer training in disaster first aid, light search and rescue, fire suppression, hazardous materials, communications, and many other vital areas during six classes plus a hands-on disaster exercise complete with (fake) blood, gore and screams. The classes are appropriate for ages 14 and up.
The classes are given by the South County Neighborhood Disaster Preparedness Project, Inc. (SCNDPP) and sponsored by the City of Morgan Hill’s Office of Emergency Services and the Disaster Council of Morgan Hill. The City of Morgan Hill will pay $10 of the $25 fee for Morgan Hill residents.
The order of instruction includes When Disaster Strikes – personal preparedness; disaster fire suppression and hazardous materials; disaster medical operations, part one; disaster medical operations, part two; light search and rescue; disaster psychology and terrorism, followed by the disaster exercise on Nov. 15.
Instructors are usually professionals in a related field and certified Federal Emergency Management Agency instructors.
Classes will be given at the California Department of Forestry station, 15670 Monterey Road, just north of Watsonville Road.
Residents do not need to commit to attend the entire course, since classes are offered twice a year and missed classes can be made up. The second series of classes, given in the evening, is scheduled to begin in February as is a second series of CERT training classes given entirely in Spanish.
Classes 9 a.m. to noon, Oct. 4, 11, 18 and 24 and Nov. 1, 8 and the graduation exercise is Nov. 15, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The non-refundable cost is $15 for Morgan Hill residents and $25 all other residents. If you have not pre-registered, it is recommended that you show up at 8 a.m. for the first class to see if there is room. Details on SCNDPP, Inc.:
776-1225 or www.garlic.com/˜(tilde) scndpp
