Learn How to Prepare for Wildfires and Other Disasters with the City of Malibu’s Next CERT Training Course Starting April 13, in-person at city hall
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. The series of seven classes will be held on Thursday evenings from 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM, April 13 through May 25 in the Multipurpose Room at Malibu City Hall, 23825 Stuart Ranch Road.
“Malibu is paradise, but we are vulnerable to all kinds of disasters, from wildfires to earthquakes and landslides, so it’s up to every one of us to be prepared to help ourselves, our families and our community,” said Mayor Bruce Silverstein. “CERT training is one of the best ways to prepare for wildfires and other disasters, and helps us be more resilient as individuals and as a community.”
CERT is a highly-acclaimed, nationwide program that empowers community members to help themselves and their neighbors during disasters. Volunteers are trained in basic first aid, fire suppression, and search and rescue so that they can provide emergency assistance to their neighbors. Studies of past disasters such as earthquakes in Italy and Japan have shown that up to 90% of the people who were rescued from collapsed buildings were helped by local people before emergency services arrived because they were already on-site. (Source)
CERT volunteers are a crucial part of the City’s ability to prepare and respond to disasters. During the Woolsey Fire, Malibu CERT volunteers contributed about 300 hours of service to the emergency response by distributing food and medical supplies, conducting wellness checks, assisting with evacuations, and administering basic first aid.
In 2017, the City Council adopted the official CERT Program Guidelines, an important step in formally incorporating the program and the trained CERT volunteers into the City’s Emergency Management System. In addition to basic CERT training, the City’s CERT Team members must also complete Federal Emergency Manager Agency (FEMA) trainings, serve at least 30 volunteer hours per year, attend regular meetings and drills, and become registered as Disaster Service Workers.
For more information about the CERT program, or to sign up, visit the CERT webpage or call Public Safety Liaison Luis Flores at 310-456-2489, ext. 236, or email publicsafety@malibucity.org.