CASSOPOLIS — Cass County Sheriff Joseph M. Underwood Jr. announces an upcoming Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.

Class begins Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. at the Emergency Operations Center, 120 N. Broadway, Cassopolis.

The seven-night training will be Tuesday evenings from 6 until 9, culminating Oct. 22 with a simulated disaster exercise and graduation.

CERT is a training program that prepares you to help yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of a disaster.

During an incident, emergency service personnel may not be able to reach everyone immediately. By getting trained in CERT, you have the skills to help emergency responders save lives and protect property.

CERT participants learn how to:

• Identify and anticipate hazards

• Reduce fire hazards in the home and workplace

• Extinguish small fires

• Assist emergency responders

• Conduct light search and rescue

• Set up medical treatment areas

• Apply basic medical techniques

• Help reduce survivor stress

In 95 percent of all emergencies, the victim or bystander provides the first immediate assistance on the scene.

Would you know what to do?

CERT training takes about 20 hours to complete and provides critical skills in emergency preparedness and response.

Classes and equipment are provided free to those willing to help their community, but pre-registration is required. Adults 18 and over, as well as 15- to 17-year-olds with an adult, who live or work in Cass County are encouraged to attend.

Go to www.citizencorps.gov/cert to learn more about the CERT program.

Applications are available at the Cass County Sheriff’s Office or online at www.ccso.info under the community tab.

For questions or additional CERT registration information, contact Patti Kolden at the Cass County Sheriff’s Office by dialing (269) 445-8644 ext. 1217 and join the ranks of more than 250 Cass County CERT volunteers who have completed the course to date.