The courtroom at Mathews Circuit Court was packed last Tuesday with local residents interested in learning about CERT—the Community Emergency Response Team program.
The CERT program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for hazards that might impact the county and trains them in such basic disaster response skills as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, disaster medical operations, and disaster psychology, according to a description on the Gloucester County CERT webpage.
The website explained further that the training enables CERT members to assist in their neighborhoods or workplaces following an event when professional responders are not immediately available.
Free training for new team members in Mathews, Gloucester and Middlesex will be held from 8:15 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Oct. 21 and 22 at Mathews Volunteer Rescue Squad, 94 Cricket Hill Road, Hudgins. Lunch will be provided.
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