What do you do in a major disaster situation? Are you prepared? Is your apartment disaster-resistant?
If you answered 'no' to any of those questions, you're in luck. The San Francisco Fire Department is offering Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) training classes for San Francisco residents free of charge at the Urban School (1563 Page St.) starting Wednesday, May 6th, from 6:30-10pm.
NERT classes are taught by firefighters with the goal to get you "self sufficient in a major disaster situation by developing multi-functional teams, cross-trained in basic emergency skills."
"A typical NERT volunteer is not one type. The NERT volunteer is anyone who is active and involved in the community—or wants to be. NERT teams are best formed in neighborhoods through a partnership with existing community groups such as a Neighborhood Watch program, Rotary Club, business group, faith based group or homeowners association. Together with their neighbors, team members and coworkers, they build a NERT network within their own community, teaming with the San Francisco Fire Department. All residents can benefit from NERT training.
There are six classes total, and the SFFD warns that you must attend all classes to participate, and you can't keep coming if you miss the first class. Here's what the Haight training schedule looks like:
Class Session #1, 5/6 6:30-10:00pm
Earthquake Awareness,
Preparedness and Hazard Mitigation
Class Session #2, 5/13 6:30-10:00pm
Basic Disaster Skills; Fire
Extinguishers; Hazardous
Materials/Terrorism awareness; Utilities Shut-offs
Class Session #3, 5/20 6:30-9:30pm
Disaster Medicine
Class Session #4, 5/27 6:30-10:00pm
Light Search and Rescue
Class Session #5, 6/3 6:30-9:30pm
Team Organization and Management
Class Session #6, 6/10 6:30-10:00pm
Hands-On Training
Skills Development and Application
If you're interested, you can sign up here. (Participants under 18 require the signature of a parent or guardian.) You'll learn important disaster preparedness skills, get a certificate at the end, and then you get to say "NERT" a lot, which is actually really fun. Go ahead, say it.
