City Offering Emergency Preparedness Training

The  will be offering Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) classes this May for residents at no charge in an effort to better prepare the community in the event of a disaster.

City officials are encouraging residents to take part in the program to learn more about emergency preparedness in the community and how they can help Naperville be ready during an emergency.

The free classes will take place on May 10, 17, 24 and 31 from 6:45 to 9:30 p.m. with the final class taking place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 2.

"This empowers people to take personal responsibility to prepare themselves and their families as well as look out for their neighbors for everyday emergencies as well as natural disasters," said Naperville Emergency Management Coordinator Dan Nelson. 

Nelson added residents will learn skills in areas such as fire safety, light search and rescue, first aid and disaster medical operations, among other techniques. 

Once participants complete the program, they will be qualified to assist their neighborhoods or workplaces in cases of emergency when professional first responders cannot immediately make it to the scene.

Participants must be 18 years of age and either live or be employed in the City of Naperville. Those interested in the program can download a registration form and waiver from the City’s website at www.naperville.il.us/cert.aspx and send it via mail to John Flannery, Citizen Corps Council Liaison, Naperville Electric Service Center, 1392 Aurora Ave., Naperville, IL 60540; via fax to (630) 305-6203; or by e-mail to flanneryj@naperville.il.us.

Space in the class is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Future classes will also be offered.

For more information about CERT classes, visit www.naperville.il.us/cert.aspx. For more information about CERT, visit www.napercert.org.