Monterey Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) offers free training 2-4 times per year. You can register now for the upcoming series of classes starting in September! All classes are taught in Monterey Anyone may enroll by sending an e-mail of interest. You'll receive a confirmation with class location and further details.

This upcoming CERT training will occur Saturday, September 16, Saturday, September 23, and Sunday, September 24. Class time each day is 8:20am-4:30pm. Attendance at all three sessions is required to graduate from the class. Note: high school students can get 24 hours of community service credits for taking the class.

The CERT Program uses a FEMA curriculum to educate people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist their families and others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT also participates in searches for missing persons, serves as coastal spotters for persons swept out to sea, storm response, and other emergencies.

In the classes, you'll learn emergency first-aid, use of a fire extinguisher, disaster preparedness, shutting down your utilities, rescue, communications when phones fail, and assessing your home or workplace after an earthquake or storm.