Got Time for Disaster Training?

Think tornados and flooding.

Disaster training can be a lifesaver for your family and community. Crestwood fire and police are starting Monday a seven-session Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course over the next three weeks.

Altogether, the course is 24 hours—a day—spread over Monday and Wednesday evenings April 11-30, 7-10pm. The last day is on a Saturday and includes a faux disaster, to practice the new skills.

"This CERT course provides residents basic disaster response training. Emergency response officials from the Crestwood Police, Crestwood Fire Department will be on hand to help prepare the course participants for unexpected events," according to a written description provided by Crestwood officials.

Training includes topics such as disaster preparedness, fire safety, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, team organization, disaster psychology, and terrorism.

Trained residents may be called upon to work with officials in a true disaster.

For further information on the course contact Crestwood's Assistant Fire Chief Mark Menning, 314-729-4741 and mmenning@ci.crestwood.mo.us. Meet in the fire department training room next to City Hall.

Menning, who organizes much of the CERT training, has been a member of the Urban Search and Rescue Task Force since 1996. He was deployed during hurricane Isabel and the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis. He is also part of St. Louis County Hazardous Materials Response Team.