Basic trainees from an earlier class tend to a wounded victim as part of their final exam. (photo by Peggy McGee)
John and Peggy McGee
The Greater Green Valley Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is currently enrolling students for the fall CERT Basic Course. The course that one can start between now and early October begins with approximately 12 hours of online training taken individually at the student’s own pace and then concludes with the classroom instruction from October 15 to 17. The free training includes disaster preparedness, fire safety, medical skills, and light search and rescue. The classroom training will be held at the Santa Rita Fire Department (SRFD) Training Center, 1285 W Camino Encanto at the intersection with Camino Del Sol.
This training will benefit those who take it by increasing their ability and confidence to help themselves, their family, and their neighbors in a safe manner. There is no obligation to join CERT after course completion.
For more information and/or to register, visit ggvcert.com and complete the Contact Us form. You will receive a reply email with information and registration instructions.
The Greater Green Valley Community Emergency Response Team (GGV CERT) is part of FEMA’s Citizens Corps. GGV CERT is also a member of the Green Valley Council’s Emergency Planning Committee.
GGV CERT was formed in 2003 as a volunteer organization sponsored by the Green Valley Fire District, now the Santa Rita Fire District. We currently have about 30 members, several of whom are Quail Creek residents and all of whom have completed 20 hours of training on how to organize for and respond to a disaster. CERT meets on the last Wednesday of the month at 6 p.m. at the SRFD Training Center for follow-up training. While some of our members are former nurses, firefighters, or law enforcement personnel, we are not first responders—but we could be the first ones on the scene until First Responders arrive. That’s what we train for.
Every community can benefit from having trained people who know their neighborhood, its streets, its organization, and the residents who might be especially vulnerable in the event of a disaster. Please consider joining us.