Tacoma Fire is opening enrollment to the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) classes to those who live or work within Tacoma city limits. The free, 19-hour CERT course aims to teach citizens how to prepare for, and respond to, disasters or extreme emergencies.

The classes will follow a model developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and offered in many communities across the United States. The idea behind this model is to teach people in neighborhoods how to help each other in the first few minutes or hours following a disaster, before emergency responders are able to get to them to render professional help. In the CERT classes, students will gain hands-on skills such as how to put out small fires, render first aid in a disaster situation, be safe around utilities, and perform light search and rescue.

The six classes will be taught by firefighters who are subject experts. Typically, the classes are held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for three weeks from 6:30 – 9 p.m., and culminate in a practical exercise to be held on a Saturday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Classes will be held at either the Fire Prevention Classroom located at 3471 S. 35th St. or at the Fire Training Center located at 2124 Marshall Ave. starting on Tuesday, Sept. 11 through Saturday, Oct. 6.

The course is limited to 25 students and there are no prerequisites, other than a desire to learn and help others. Attendance is required at all of the sessions.

For more information, visit http://www.tacomafiredepartment.org .