Emergency Response Training Course Planned

SNOW HILL – A training course in Worcester County is expected to help residents prepare for emergency situations.

Beginning this spring, Worcester County Emergency Services (WCES) will host a free eight-session Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training course in Newark.

Fred Webster, emergency services director, said the course will follow Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) guidelines and will teach participants basic lifesaving skills in the event of a natural or manmade disaster.

“In the case of a large-scale mass event, the fire service community becomes overwhelmed with responses,” he said. “If you had a tornado or flash flooding there are only so many trained firefighters and EMTs available. It gets people to plan in advance, but also to learn skills that will help their neighbors and the community.”

Officials said the CERT course will cover how to prepare and respond to natural disasters common to Worcester County, as well as manmade disasters, fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, light search and rescue procedures, disaster psychology, team organization, and terrorism awareness. Participants will practice the skills they learn throughout the course.

“CERT equips participants to assist family members and neighbors during an emergency until fire and rescue personnel arrive,” WCES Emergency Planner Tom Kane said in a statement. “WCES encourages all residents to develop emergency plans, to be prepared to respond before, during, and immediately after a natural or manmade disaster strikes.”

Officials said the CERT course is open to teens and adults and will take place at the Fire Training Center in Newark. Training will take place on Tuesdays from 6:30-9:30 p.m. beginning March 20. Cardiopulmonary Response (CPR) and Automatic External Defibrillator training will take place during the March 27 CERT session.

The course will conclude on Saturday, April 14.

For more information, or to register, contact Tom Kane at 410-632-3080 or [email protected].

Space is limited to 20 individuals and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

In Worcester County, the CERT course is available at no cost to all interested residents.

About The Author: Bethany Hooper

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Bethany Hooper has been with The Dispatch since 2016. She currently covers various general stories. Hooper graduated from Stephen Decatur High School in 2012 and the University of Maryland in 2016, where she completed double majors in journalism and economics.