Volunteers need for Community Emergency Response teams

Del Mar, Encinitas, Rancho Santa Fe and Solana Beach residents are being asked to participate in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to learn how to care for yourself, your family and your neighbors should a disaster occur and emergency services are overwhelmed. The classes are free and open to all residents or employees of Del Mar, Encinitas, Rancho Santa Fe and Solana Beach who are 18 years or older.

With training and practice and by working as a team, you will be able to do the greatest good for the greatest number of victims after and during a disaster, while protecting yourself from becoming a victim.

Acting as individuals first, then later as members of teams, trained CERT volunteers can fan out within their assigned areas, extinguishing small fires, turning off natural gas inlets to damaged homes, performing light search and rescue, and rendering basic medical treatment. Trained volunteers also offer an important potential workforce to service organizations in non-hazardous functions such as shelter support, crowd control, and evacuation.

The next CERT training begins April 24 at the Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Dr., Encinitas.

For more information and to register, contact Arnie Lewin w7bia@cox.net