WCSO NEWS RELEASE
Proper training can save lives and reduce trauma in the event of an emergency. One of the region’s best opportunities for residents to receive emergency preparedness and response training is the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Academy offered by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Corps over two weekends in mid-March.
CERT Academy training includes disaster preparedness, emergency medical techniques, fire safety, search and rescue, disaster psychology, and terrorism. Training is conducted by Citizen Corps staff and volunteers along with appropriate subject matter experts.
The training is free and trainees are not required to become a Citizen Corps volunteer to participate.
The CERT Academy offers a total of 24 hours of training during six sessions over two consecutive weekends. Training takes place at the Regional Public Safety Training Center located at 5190 Spectrum Blvd. Academy dates are:
Thursday, March 7 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Friday, March 8, from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.,
and Saturday, March 9 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
and
Thursday, March 14, from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Friday, March 15, from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
and Saturday, March 16 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
No special skills are required. Children 12-15 may participate with parent’s supervision, teens 16-17 with parent’s permission. To sign up for training, call CERT Program Coordinator Derek Russell at (775) 325-6928 or email: [email protected]
Approximately 500 volunteers currently serve in the Sheriff’s Office Citizen Corps. The Corps consists of five teams: Sheriff’s Mobile Auxiliary Response Team, Citizens Homeland Security Council, Community Emergency Response Team, Animal Rescue Team and Law Enforcement Chaplain.
The Community Emergency Response Team program is made possible by grants awarded by the Nevada Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management from the Homeland Security Grant Program and the Citizen Corps Grant Program. These funds make it possible to implement and support all of the Sheriff’s Office volunteer Citizen Corps Programs.
For more information about the Washoe County Citizen Corps, visit http://www.wcsovolunteer.org/
