![Area residents who would like to help first responders and the commmunity during the first 72 hours after a natural or man-made disaster. [Pixabay.com]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-4bcff092-177c-432f-e053-0100007fb917-7b380ace.jpeg)
CRESTVIEW — The North Okaloosa Community Emergency Response Team's basic certification training is scheduled. With certification, participants may help our area's first responders during the first 72 to 96 hours after a natural or man-made disaster.
CERT will provide free training for area residents ages 18 and up April 21-23 and April 28-30 at No special skills or experience are needed. Attendance at all six sessions and preregistration are required to become certified.
The first three sessions are 6-9 p.m. April 21, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 22, and 1-5 p.m. April 23 at Crestview Fire Department Station No. 1, 321 N. Woodruff Ave. The last three sessions are 6-9 p.m. April 28, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 29, and 1-4 p.m. April 30 at the station.
Topics include first aid, disaster psychology, fire prevention and fire safety, disaster preparedness, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, and terrorism.
Completion of the class does not create any obligation to become part of North Okaloosa CERT, but does qualify the student to be part of any Community Emergency Response Team in the country.
Go to https://okaloosaflcert.samariteam.com/Default.aspx to preregister and fill out the CERT application. Email NOkaloosacert@gmail.com for details.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Emergency response training available in Crestview