嘿嘿视频 Safety Services will establish a Campus Emergency Response Team (CERT) in 2025, and now is the time to volunteer.
Volunteers will receive education about disaster preparedness and training in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations.
There will be a meeting and orientation for prospective members in the first half of 2025, with full CERT training in the second half of 2025.
CERT will promote campus safety and efficient emergency response in case of a disaster. When first responders do not have enough personnel to assess the state of every building during an emergency, CERT volunteers can supplement emergency response by helping with the initial phase of safety assessments.
Campus emergency manager Benton Best anticipates that the reestablishment of CERT will encourage the spread of safety awareness within the wider 嘿嘿视频 community.
鈥淭he hope is that everybody who is part of CERT will get basic first aid CPR training, fire extinguisher training and structural assessment knowledge, which could potentially ripple out to other people in the community,鈥 Best said.
Recruiting a total of 20-30 CERT volunteers would allow for around 8-10 to respond during an emergency. Anyone who is affiliated with 嘿嘿视频 is able and encouraged to volunteer.
Training will consist of an hourlong exercise each month. Additionally, there will be an annual full-scale training exercise supported by emergency responders.
CERT members will receive a gear bag containing all required items at no cost, including personal protective equipment such as a hard hat and gloves, as well as other tools such as flashlights and gas valve shutoffs.
CERT will focus on campuswide responses, but its resources and training can still be useful in other situations, such as those that happen off campus. Although CERT allows people to volunteer in their community, the disaster preparation training can be applied in situations outside of campus.
Becoming a CERT member may also allow opportunities to connect with others who are focused on promoting safety, creating a positive social environment.
Julie Huang, a second-year student majoring in English, is the news writing and emergency communications intern in News and Media Relations.