Community Members Complete Disaster Preparedness CERT Training in WeHo

April 29, 2023

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Today concluded the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Community Emergency Response Team (“CERT”) training for community members who signed up for the program to prepare for a disaster. The training sessions comprised of three free full-day workshops on Saturdays in the month of April, at the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center in the San Vicente / La Cienega Room located at 8750 El Tovar Place.

Participants included West Hollywood council member Lauren Meister, some members of City Staff, City Commissioners, and residents. Each participant was given two certificates of recognition for completing the training session, one from the City of West Hollywood, and another from the Los County Fire Department, which was signed by Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone.

The group gathered outside of the Grand Stairs at the ARC for a group photo at roughly 3:45pm.

Participants like Garrett Hughes said he joined the program because he felt the need to be more civic after the pandemic. “My brother-in-law was a fireman and a marine, so I felt the need to give back a little bit,” he said. “The course was better than I expected. It gave me the chance to meet people in the community and understand how to deal with fires and emergency situations and injuries and EMS that the Fire Department knows how to deal with, but we don’t know as much. I know a lot more now than I did three weeks ago. I learned out to triage, how to stay calm during non-calm circumstances, communication is key, and basically leaving your ego at the door and learning how to do the most good for as many people as possible.”

CERT certified Garrett Hughs – WEHO TIMES

CERT Training participants learned valuable survival skills, including disaster preparedness, terrorism, disaster fire suppression, disaster psychology, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, team organization, and drill simulation, which can be vital in the immediate aftermath of a major disaster.

CERT program is a nationally supported, locally implemented initiative that teaches people how to better prepare themselves for hazards that may affect their communities. Since 1993, CERT trains the public in basic disaster response skills such as team organization, disaster medical operations, fire safety, and light search and rescue. The ability for CERT volunteers to perform these activities frees up professional responders to focus their efforts on more complex, essential, and critical tasks.

For more information, please contact Jessica Anukam, the City of West Hollywood’s Public Safety Specialist, at (323) 848-6436 or at [email protected]