Fire Department Establishes South Pasadena CERT to Offer Free Disaster Training

Under the leadership of Fire Chief James Frawley and the South Pasadena Public Safety Commission, and with the support of the City Executive Staff and City Council, we are pleased to announce that South Pasadena CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) has been registered with FEMA and a 5 person administrative committee has been created to ensure its ongoing success.  

The CERT Committee consists of a core group of trained volunteers who have various types of expertise including CERT and Red Cross training, and emergency communications training as Licensed Amateur Radio Operators (ARRL) and Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) members, Public Safety Council representatives and Fire Department officials. 

 CERT Training educates people about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, basic first-aid, light search and rescue, team organization, and other life-saving skills. 

 The South Pasadena Public Safety Commission’s goal for CERT training is to ensure that in the event of a major disaster, if fire, police, utility, and medical personnel are outnumbered by emergencies, neighbors will be trained to help with immediate life-saving and life sustaining needs. 

The CERT classes will run from 8 am until noon, on Oct 11, 18, and 25, 2014 at the South Pasadena Fire Station, on 817 Mound Avenue. Volunteers must attend all three classes for completion.