You're invited to train for emergency response team

The Arlington Heights Fire Department is offering a weekday session for its Community Emergency Response Team training. The 20-hour course teaches participants how to apply basic response and organizational skills to situations when professional response may be overwhelmed or delayed. The skills learned also apply to daily emergencies.

For this session, classes will be held at the Arlington Heights Senior Center, 1801 W. Central Road, from 1 to 4 p.m. starting Tuesday and every Tuesday through April 22. The program will conclude with a four-hour Saturday class from 8 a.m. to noon April 26, held at the Fire Academy, 3704 N. Kennicott Ave.

This program is not restricted to Arlington Heights residents.

Participation in the training will cost $20. To enroll, call (847) 368-5450 or download the CERT application at vah.com, under "Applications and Forms."

During the training, each participant will learn to:

Take steps to prepare themselves for a disaster.

Identify and reduce potential fire hazards in their homes and workplaces.

Work as a team to apply basic fire suppression strategies, resources and safety measures to extinguish small fires.

Apply techniques for opening airways, controlling bleeding and treating persons suffering shock.

Conduct triage under simulated conditions.

Perform head-to-toe assessments.

Select and set up a treatment area.

Employ basic treatments for various wounds.

Identify planning and size-up requirements for potential search and rescue situations.

The most common techniques for searching a structure.

Use safe techniques for debris removal and victim extrication.

Methods to protect rescuers during search and rescue.