MANALAPAN – Individuals who want to help their fellow residents following a major emergency may sign up for training with the Manalapan Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
MRC-CERT will offer a 20-hour training program starting Jan. 12 in the Manalapan municipal building at 7 p.m., according to a press release.
Enrollment and materials are free and training is open to individuals 16 years old and older. Youths who are 16 and 17 years old may participate with a signed permission slip and a waiver from their parents.
Upon completion of the course, participants will be invited to join the Manalapan MRC-CERT, although doing so is not a requirement. For more information, contact the Manalapan Health Department at 732-446-8345 or [email protected].
Individual preparedness, as well as the ability to safely and effectively assist others, allows members of the community to care for themselves until more help arrives, according to the press release.
The federal government began promoting the nationwide use of organized MRCs and CERTs in 1992 as two means to connect the professional response community with the people they serve.
The CERT program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical (emergency first aid) operations.
Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, persons trained in CERT can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help, according to the press release.
The Manalapan MRC-CERT consists of more than 300 volunteer members. A medical background is not required to join MRC-CERT. The team meets during the year for refresher training and drills, and also supports municipal events such as Manalapan Day and National Night Out.