Letter to the editor: Get involved with CERT training

Talk about it

I am writing in response to the wonderful opportunity my husband, Brad, and I recently participated in. It is Community Emergency Response Team training. I had previously been trained and participated in a CERT training in Sherburne County prior to moving to Silver Bay. I wondered when it would make it to Lake and Cook County.

I found out that the course had been offered before, and that Lake County had zero participants. This time around out of the 18 participants, there were only three of us from Lake County. That surprised me.

You don’t need to have a medical background to participate in CERT training. It’s about 20 hours total out of your evenings. It’s offered to ages 16 and up. And it’s free. When was the last time someone offered you valuable training free? And not expect anything in return? Whether you take the course for just personal emergency awareness or are interested in becoming part of an actual CERT is totally up to you.

You’re never too old to learn something new. After all, an emergency can arise in your own home, workplace, school or on the ATV, snowmobile, and hiking trails that surround us.

Those who could consider the course would be youth groups, employees, senior citizens, youth at risk, and caregivers of young or old. It really is limitless who could benefit from becoming more educated and get a heightened awareness of your surroundings and possible emergency scenarios you may happen upon.

Since I moved here six years ago, this area has had two forest fires, an ice storm and a courthouse shooting. So don’t think disasters do not occur in the Arrowhead. It can happen anywhere. And with the drought we’re experiencing now, more fires could be around the corner, near you. What would you or could you do?

That’s what CERT training is really all about.

I encourage others to seriously consider taking part. There is another training session planned for Lake County this fall. Watch the newspaper or contact Lake County Emergency Management Director, BJ Kohlstedt, at 226-4444 or bj.kohlstedt@co.lake.mn.us for more information.

Come on Lake County, get involved.

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