The City of Auburn Emergency Management Office recently announced the addition of 21 new members to the area’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), bringing the total number of graduates in the local program to 415.

The 21 new members graduated from the area’s 22nd CERT course, which demanded 24 intensive hours of training over eight days. The training culminated in a hands-on, practical exercise simulating an earthquake. Fifteen of the graduating members come from Wesley Homes, a retirement community on Lea Hill in Auburn. Wesley Homes is establishing its own volunteer disaster response team to equip residents with the skills necessary to help themselves and their neighborhood in times of disaster.

Graduates of the class were: Malvyn Bailey, Martha Battles, Millard Battles, Patricia Cox, Shirley DeVries, Betty Gering, Will Gering, Myrna Lehr, Eugene Mason, Ina Mason, Jean McKenna, Denis Taft, Sylvia Taft, Herman Wright, and Marcella Wright, all of Wesley Homes Lea Hill in Auburn, Fritz Hagedorn, Anne Hagedorn, Jeffery Kreel, and Jacky Elston of Auburn, Donald Armstrong of Buckley, and Kyle Carrier of Enumclaw.

Information and applications for future classes may be found at www.auburnwa.gov/disaster.