To ensure community resilience during emergencies, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department (LACoFD) has significantly increased Federal Emergency Management Agency Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) trainings throughout Los Angeles County.
During the weekend of Friday, October 4, to Sunday, October 6, 2024, the LACoFD conducted its first Mandarin CERT training at the Walnut/Diamond Bar Sheriff’s Station. Thirty-two participants attended and successfully completed the 20-hour training and can now join a local CERT team to help serve the community.
The LACoFD expresses gratitude to the CERT instructors, along with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Nevarez, Public Information Associate Edith Lai, and the skilled translation team led by City of Temple City CERT Instructor Lucy Liou and Alhambra Fire Department Fire Protection Specialist Kenneth Ng.
On Monday, October 7, and Tuesday, October 8, 2024, 45 Department members participated in a CERT instructor training led by the Executive Support Division’s Public Education Unit’s CERT Cadre. This 16-hour training course was held at Camp 2 in La Cañada Flintridge and featured hands-on instruction, teach-backs, along with various teaching practices to help appeal to various learning styles.
Training communities in emergency preparedness is at the forefront of the Department’s goals. Following a major disaster, first responders may be inundated with emergency requests and demands. Community members may have to rely on each other for immediate first aid and life-sustaining needs. The LACoFD’s CERT program provides the public with basic training in safety and life-saving skills and is open to everyone 16 years of age and older.
This year alone, the LACoFD has hosted over 10 CERT trainings with more scheduled the remainder of the year!
To register for an upcoming training class or to receive information about the LACoFD CERT training program, please visit bit.ly/LACoFD-CERT.
