MEDIA RELEASE

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is FREE and will be offered in Keaukaha on March 7, 14, 21 and 28th. CERT is hosted by the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency, the Fire Department, and the Hawaii County Resource Center, a program of the Department of Research and Development. 

CERT Training consists of 27 hours of training in which participants learn about emergency response procedures and understand their roles and functions in the event of a major disaster that affects their community. 

The goal of CERT Training is for emergency personnel to train residents, community organizations or workplaces in basic response skills: how to assess damage after a disaster, effectively work as team with other community members, extinguish small fires, and perform basic rescue operations and first aid. 

WHEN AND WHERE: 

Four Saturdays, March 7, 14, 21, and 28, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Keaukaha Elementary School Cafeteria. 

Trained individuals may choose to form a Community Emergency Response Team in their neighborhood or workplace. After completing CERT requirements, Team members are recognized as an official CERT, and may be activated by the Hawaii County Civil Defense agency in the event of a disaster. 

These hands-on workshops are FREE, and will be conducted by certified CERT instructors of the Hawaii Fire Department. Registration is limited to 30 participants. The program fee is sponsored by the County of Hawaii, which covers the workshops and CERT Training manual. 

To register for the training workshops, visit www.hcrc.info/disaster-preparedness, or contact Frecia Basilio, Hawaii County Resource Center at 961-8085.