The City of Auburn Emergency Management Office – in conjunction with the White River Valley Citizen Corps Council and the Valley Regional Fire Authority – offers a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training course to area residents.

The training, a four-week course, meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9 to noon. The dates of the class are: March 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 26, with the final drill and graduation on Thursday, March 28, from 8 a.m.-noon. All classes will be held in downtown Auburn.

Pre-registration is required for all courses and space is limited.

For more information, or to register for this class, please call 253-876-1925 or email emergencyprep@auburnwa.gov. Applications may also be downloaded from the Internet by visiting www.auburnwa.gov/services/emergency.

Class members will be required to provide some basic equipment, such as sturdy shoes or boots and work gloves. Other necessary supplies and equipment will be provided. A complete list of required equipment will be provided upon registration.

About CERT

CERT training is comprised of 24-plus hours of classroom education and hands-on practice in topics including disaster preparedness, emergency management, fire safety / suppression, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster communication, disaster psychology, and all-hazards identification and awareness.

Graduates have the opportunity to become registered emergency workers with their respective cities and the State of Washington, allowing them to aid in local and regional disasters. Graduates also have the opportunity to participate in local and regional continuing education activities, including training and field exercises. Courses are taught by fire department and emergency management professionals from the cities of Auburn and Pacific, as well as the Valley Regional Fire Authority.