Online Tool Offers CERT Training, Refresher

There is now a Web-based program that gives individuals who are interested in joining a Community Emergency Response Team an overview of the organization, its mission and related activities has been created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The course -- IS 317, Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams -- includes an introduction to CERT and sections on fire safety, hazardous material and terrorist incidents, disaster medical operations, and search and rescue.

Current CERT volunteers in need of a training review also may find the course useful.

IS 317 takes six to eight hours to complete and is available online at:

http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is317.asp