Get Trained

CPR, Basic First Aid, Food Storage, Water Collection, Growing Food, all of these points are critical to long term survival. How much training do you need? How much can you get? How much does it cost?

Back in 2002 when then President Bush was looking for ways to organize volunteers, he created the Citizen Corps Program and from that rose the Community Emergency Response Teams here in Jersey. Now, I have my reservations because CERT is a government program, so of course right away I think red tape and wasted money. BUT by joining a local CERT organization, you can get some really good training:

From the CERT website:

If you join a CERT, you will receive basic-level training in the following areas:

• Basic First Aid
• Family Disaster Preparedness
• Disaster Fire Suppression
• Medical Operations
• CERT Operations
• Disaster Mental Health
• Basic Emergency Management
• Disaster Simulation -- Skills Review

Total training is usually about 18 hours, scheduled in 2-4 hour modules, over a period of weeks or months, in order to address the scheduling needs of team members. It's held in the community where you live.

Training courses, student materials and equipment are provided free of charge.

Of course, taking the training you have an obligation to the program, and truth be know, there is strength in numbers and being in a community of people that are trained and prepared will always be a good thing. The longer you can survive without depending on the government, the better off you will be.

What have you done to prepare today?