The city, through the Fire Department, provides this 24-hour training course for neighborhood leaders, business owners and others who may need to provide lifesaving skills in the wake of a disaster due to the overwhelming demand of fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) resources following a disaster.

During the course, participants will learn:

• Disaster preparedness: What is it? Why is it important?
• Disaster fire suppression: Identifying hazards, strategies and resources.
• Disaster medical operations: Principals of triage and disaster First Aid skills.
• Light search and rescue operations: What is the situation? What can we do safely? Learn to identify materials available to rescue others in a disaster.
• Disaster psychology and team organization: How to deal with what you see psychologically during and after as well as how to organize your team.

The course concludes with a mock emergency where participants can try out their new skills.

Classes are taught at the Fire Training Center, 12401 Hemlock. The program is being revised, and no programs are currently scheduled.

NOTE: Portions of the course are conducted outdoors and require minimal physical exertion. Students should dress comfortably with consideration for current climate conditions.