Individuals looking to get involved with a local organization promoting disaster preparedness and response have the opportunity to do so in a class offered by the Sachse Community Emergency Response Team.

This year’s G-317 course will be offered from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, and Saturday, Feb. 25, in the Emergency Operations Center inside the Public Safety Building, located at 3815 Sachse Road.  The cost to sign up for the course is $25, and attendance is mandatory for those wanting to earn the certification for completing the course.

The G-317 course is recognized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which makes the certificate of completion valid in every state.

Community Emergency Response Teams were first founded in the 1980s and act as local chapters with members trained in disaster preparedness and response. They can also partner with local first responders to provide assistance in some non-emergency situations, similar to Sachse’s program.

In the training offered by Sachse CERT, participants will learn about disaster preparedness, light search and rescue, fire safety, medical operations, terrorism and disaster psychology. They will also learn about the foundations of the CERT program and how it interacts with local first responders.

CERT member Tricia Lindsey said participants who complete the course can become a member of the organization once they complete additional courses — IS 100, 200, 700 and 800 — that are offered by FEMA.

“CERT Basic is a FEMA course designed to better prepare individuals to be self-sufficient in the aftermath of a disaster,” Lindsey said.

Instructors from the classes are first responders with the city with past iterations and includes a course taught by a certified emergency manager. 

To sign up for the course, visit the organization’s website.

For the full story, see the Jan. 26 issue of The Sachse News.