Full Notification

The City of Des Peres Department of Public Safety has again teamed up with the City of Creve Coeur Police Dept., City of Town and Country Police Dept., West County Fire Protection Dist., and Creve Coeur Fire Protection Dist. to provide Community Emergency Response Team ( CERT) training to area residents.

Following a major disaster, first responders, such as police, fire fighters, paramedics, and even public utility providers may not be able to meet the demands for public service. Individual neighbors may have to rely on each other for immediate life-saving and life-sustaining needs.

CERT training is a program designed to give ordinary citizens the knowledge and basic equipment needed to care for themselves, their families, and their community following a disaster or terrorist act. The program has eight topics that cover:

•Basic disaster preparedness
•Basic first aid and medical training
•Fire suppression
•Search and rescue
•Weapons of mass destruction
•Terrorism awareness
•Instruction on team organization and disaster psychology

The training concludes with a live disaster simulation where students are given the opportunity to put their skill to work.

The next basic CERT class will be held in the fall of 2015. Classes are held on Wednesdays starting October 7th from 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. and one Saturday (practical) course on November 21st.

Registration for the CERT program can be completed online (visit www.desperesmo.org) or by calling the Des Peres Department of Public Safety Community Services Officer at 314.835.6286. Participation is limited to the first 40 registrants.