Students attending Simi’s Fall 2018 CERT Academy enrolled to learn how to prepare for disasters and emergencies. They learned first-hand how disruptive these incidents can be to “normal” life and the importance of flexibility. Students began attending the Fall CERT Academy on October 11, 2018. They only completed four of the seven academy sessions when the Woolsey and Hill Fires began ravaging Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. CERT Academy instructors are firefighters. They were deployed along with the many thousands of other firefighters from across county lines who were sent to battle these fires for weeks extending into the month of December. CERT Academy sessions were postponed one week, then two weeks, and finally postponed until after the holidays.
Following the postponements of classes, Simi CERT Coordinators expected to see student attendance drop-off significantly once classes resumed on January 3rd. Surprisingly, forty-two of the original fifty-two students returned to complete the training. Today is the final class meeting at the Ventura County Fire Regional Training Center in Camarillo. Students arrived at 8 AM for a full day of training and a final disaster exercise. CERT instructors have staged a disaster scenario for students to test the skills they’ve learned. It’s cold and rainy in southern California today, but these students are here nonetheless and have brought their enthusiasm and determination! Kudos for their dedication! Students will Graduate during the Simi Valley City Council Meeting on Monday, January 14th @ 6:30 PM. Every student who completed all seven sessions will receive a certificate of completion from the Mayor.
For more information about the City of Simi Valley CERT Academy or to enroll in the next academy, visit: www.simivalley.org/CERT
