Residents are encouraged to sign up today for the city’s Community Emergency Preparedness Academy that kicks off next month.
The free academy for adults is on Tuesday and Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. July 10 through Aug. 9.
Led by emergency personnel from collaborative agencies, the academy is a 32-hour certified program that follows FEMA guidelines for citizen emergency response teams. Participants learn about law and fire disaster operations; fire safety; light search & rescue; CPR/First Aid/AED certifications; basic crisis intervention; and neighborhood mobilization. The course is complemented by information from Santa Margarita Water District, Southern Cal Edison and Mission Hospital. Students take part in hands-on lessons in extinguishing real fires, removing bodies from heavy debris and treating mock injuries in response to a simulated earthquake. The academy ends with a final exercise drill at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 9.
To sign up and for more information, contact Police Services at 949-470-8433 or e-mail CEPA@cityofmissionviejo.org.
Most cities are calling this program CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). Perhaps we should do the same?