Free emergency preparedness training available to employees

The Resilient Bellingham Consortium, a partnership of Western Washington University, Whatcom Community College and Bellingham Technical College, will be offering free emergency preparedness training to interested employees for a limited time.

The CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) course educates the campus community about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills. Classes cover instruction on fire suppression, first aid and triage, personal preparedness, light search and rescue and disaster psychology. Completion of the CERT training allows volunteers to assist in giving critical support to others in the event of a campus disaster.

Classes will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, June 18 to July 11, with no class on July 4. Paid work release is granted with supervisor approval. Course fees are waived, and equipment and supplies including backpack kits are provided free of charge. For more information or to sign up for a course, contact Western's Environmental Health and Safety at ehs@wwu.edu or (360) 650-3064. The deadline for registration is June 13.

In September 2010, the Resilient Bellingham Consortium was awarded a $512,000, two-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education. As part of this grant, the three institutions are training volunteers capable of participating with Whatcom County emergency responders.