Fairfax County To Hold Emergency Response Training Course In McLean

MCLEAN, VA — Fairfax County will be conducting Community Emergency Response Team basic training at McLean Fire Station #401, a free eight-week course that begins on Wednesday, Sept. 21.

The course teaches residents how to safely respond in the event of an emergency to provide life-saving care. It introduces participants to the CERT organization, disaster medical operations, disaster psychology, lite search and rescue, fire safety and utility controls and concludes with a disaster exercise.

Participants will be issued a CERT backpack with gear for the training that they can keep at the completion of the class.

During each session, participants can expect to walk around buildings, treat patients on their knees, climb stairs, move items out of their way, and assist in carrying survivors. Accommodations will be made for people challenged to perform these tasks.

Registration for the basic training close on Sept. 14, or when the class is full. Participants must attend six of the seven in-person sessions, and the final exercise on Nov. 12 to graduate from the program.

The first seven sessions will be held at McLean Fire Station #401 at 1455 Laughlin Ave. in McLean. The final exercise on Nov. 12 will be held at the Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton.

Residents should visit the Fairfax County website to register for the basic training. Interested residents can also watch a video on YouTube to learn more about the CERT program.

For more information, contact Wayne Vick, director of the training division, at TrainingDiv@FairfaxCountyCERT.org.