Johnson County residents are invited to attend a free training to learn how to respond to local disasters. The training, which certifies residents for the Community Emergency Response Team, is being sponsored by Johnson County Community Organizations Active in Disasters.
The class will be held on three consecutive Saturdays — April 4, 11 and 18 — at the Purdue Extension Johnson County office, 484 N. Morton St., Franklin. Classes on April 4 and 11 will be held from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and on April 18 form 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Participants must attend all class sessions to receive their certification.
Sessions will teach ordinary citizens, who are initially on their own, how to respond to and cope with the aftermath of a disaster and to safely help themselves, their family and their neighbors.
Through training, citizens can manage utilities and put out small fires; provide basic medical aid or other immediate assistance to victims in their area; search for and rescue victims safely; organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective, and collect disaster intelligence that will assist professional responders with prioritization and allocation of resources following a disaster.
There is some light to moderate physical activity involved in this training and in emergency response. Persons who complete the training will receive a bag which weighs between 20 to 30 pounds and should be able to put the bag on and be able to walk with it.
To register, call (317) 560-4188 or email [email protected] with your name, phone number and email address.
The training is made possible free of charge to Johnson County residents by grants from the Duke Energy Foundation and Franklin Rotary.
