The Aberdeen Township Office of Emergency Management is seeking volunteers for its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The CERT program, a nationwide initiative, helps train people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities.

When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help improve the safety of the community.

CERT participants will be required to undergo twenty hours of instruction over an eight-week period. Classes will be taught by emergency responders, including firefighters, emergency medical and law enforcement personnel from the community. The training, set to begin mid-June, will also enable volunteers to better protect themselves and their families from natural or man-made disasters. The course includes the following:

• Disaster Preparedness
• Disaster Fire Suppression
• Disaster Medical Operations
• Light Search and Rescue Operations
• Disaster Psychology and Team Organization
• Terrorism
• Final Exercise

CERTs have been used to search for missing children, assist with environmental emergencies, staff emergency operations centers, and assist Red Cross and other relief organizations on mass care. CERT members must be at least 18 years of age.

A group of about ten volunteers graduated as members of CERT in Jan. 2012, after a realistic triage drill at Matawan Municipal Community Center.

Individuals interested in participating or learning more about the program can contact Herb Caravella, Aberdeen CERT Coordinator at 732-583-4200 ext. 799 or herb.caravella@aberdeennj.org. They can also log onto www.state.nj.us/njoem or www.citizencorps.gov/cert.