The City of Simi Valley Office of Emergency Services will host a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Academy taught by the Ventura County Fire Department beginning September 7. Sign up now!
During online trainings and hands-on classes, attendees will learn how to assist their family and neighbors after a major disaster, when professional responders are often not immediately available. Students will learn basic disaster response skills, such as extinguishing small fires, light search and rescue, team organization, the medical dos and don'ts in a disaster environment, and how to build their own emergency kit.
People age 12 or older who live or work in Simi Valley are eligible to participate in the free CERT Academy. Participants aged 12 - 17 will perform required skills tasks only on their accompanying parent or guardian. Each participant will receive a student workbook, a CERT start-up kit (helmet, work gloves, vest, safety goggles and flashlight) and a certificate upon completion of the entire course.
The hands-on classes will be held on five consecutive Wednesdays from 6pm – 9pm in the City's Emergency Operations Center at the Simi Valley Police station. The final exercise will be conducted at Ventura County Fire Department’s Regional Training Center on a Saturday in October. Sign up for this session and future CERT Academies online at VCFD CARES. For more information, contact Emergency Services Coordinator Corinne Bridges at [email protected] or 805-583-6263.
