Sign Up for Malibu’s Next CERT Training Course, Offered as an Online Hybrid Class for the First Time
As part of its ongoing efforts toward community wide preparedness, the City of Malibu is offering the next round of the highly popular Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training courses in a virtual format for the first time during the pandemic.
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For more information or to sign up, contact Public Safety Specialist Sarah Kaplan 310-456-2489 ext. 368, or email SKaplan@malibucity.org or visit the CERT webpage.
Due to COVID-19, the City’s regular schedule of ongoing CERT training courses is temporarily shifting to a hybrid model where students take the classroom portion online in the safety of their own homes. Registration is now open for the online classroom portion. Upon completion of the online section, students will be eligible to take the in-person training portion when it is safe to do so. The City will announce schedule of the in-person portion and final drill as soon as they are set and will directly notify those who have completed the online portion.
CERT is one of the best ways to prepare for wildfire and other disasters as individuals and as a community. The highly acclaimed program of free courses is administered by the City of Malibu several times a year and is used by public safety agencies across the country and the world. CERT training includes disaster preparedness, fire suppression, disaster medical, search and rescue, disaster psychology and terrorism.
The CERT trained volunteers are a crucial part of the City’s ability to prepare and respond to disasters. During the Woolsey Fire, members of the official Malibu CERT Team contributed about 300 hours of service to the emergency response by distributing food and medical supplies, assisting with evacuations, and administering basic first aid.
In 2017, the City Council adopted the official Malibu CERT Program Guidelines, an important step in formally incorporating the program and the trained, dedicated CERT volunteers into the City’s Emergency Management System. The guidelines outline the requirements to become an active member of the Malibu CERT Team, organizational structure, team responsibilities, ongoing participation requirements, and activation procedures.
In addition to their first aid, search and rescue, and other training, official CERT Team members are required to complete Federal Emergency Manager Agency (FEMA) trainings, serve at least 30 hours per year, attend regular meetings and drills, and become registered as Disaster Service Workers.
For more information or to sign up, call Public Safety Specialist Sarah Kaplan 310-456-2489 ext. 368, or email SKaplan@malibucity.org or visit the CERT webpage.