Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
Publisher’s Commentary by Wallace J. Allen
Who is coming to help your neighborhood after the earthquake, fire, flood, or mudslide? Trained ‘first responders’ will start where they stand! If there are trained ‘first responders’ in your neighborhood during or immediately after a disaster, your neighborhood will be in better hands than those neighborhoods that do not!
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members are trained to put out small fires, assess buildings, and help with first aid to family, friends and neighbors, as well as provide leadership during a time of crisis. During a disaster, CERT members often become regarded as heroes and superheroes to those people that need immediate help!
The City of Rialto Fire Department is hosting its final scheduled 2017 CERT training session, covering 20 hours over three days on October 27, 28 and November 4. The classes are FREE and all materials are provided! You too can train to become a ‘super hero’! I highly recommend the classes to everyone who has the time available. The Friday, October 27, class is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and the other classes, October 28 and November 4, are on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Classes are held at Rialto Fire Station 203, 1550 Ayala Dr. The classes are sponsored by the Rialto Fire department and the Advanced CERT Volunteers.
Register for the classes on line at rialtocert@gmail.com leaving your contact information or by calling the Rialto CERT hotline at (909) 421-4964.
We do not look forward to having a disaster, but that does not mean one will not occur! In California, we can be sure it is coming, but not when. We need to be prepared at home, in the car and at work! We all need to store extra water, food, blankets, flashlights, a first aid kit, fire starter, etc. Our choice is either to prepare, or, depend on being near a super hero when surprised by disaster!
