Elburn offers disaster aid training

Should a disaster strike Elburn, professional rescuers, including police and firefighters, may be stretched thin, or unable to reach parts of the community.

Village leaders want residents to be able to help themselves and their neighbors in the meantime, effectively and without causing further injury or death.

So Elburn’s community emergency response team is starting a disaster preparedness training program.

In disasters, “There are too few of us (professional first responders), and too many people who need our help,” said Elburn Police Sgt. Ron Brandenburg, who has helped organize the training.

The first class will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday nights for seven weeks, starting April 25, at the village hall, 301 E. North St.

Topics are disaster preparedness; disaster fire suppression; terrorism; disaster medical operations, including basic first aid; light search and rescue operations, including rescuer safety; disaster psychology; and team organization.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency oversees the development of CERTs. The Los Angeles Fire Department started the movement in 1993 in response to a wildfire, and developed the training. West suburban towns that have CERTs include Aurora, Naperville and West Chicago.

People who pass the final exam will receive a certificate from the Department of Homeland Security, and a disaster preparation starter kit, Brandenburg said.

Training is not relegated to only Elburn residents. You have to be at least 18 years old. Students are not obligated to join the Elburn CERT.

To sign up, send an email to elburncert@yahoo.com. The training is free. For more information about the program, visit elburncert.org.