HOMEWOOD, Ala. (WBRC) – More than 30 Jefferson County residents completed the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, a training initiative led by the Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) to prepare volunteers to assist their communities during the critical first minutes of an emergency.
The program was designed to strengthen local disaster response when tornadoes, floods or other emergencies occur, and first responders may not be able to reach everyone immediately.
Over several weeks, participants received hands-on training in fire suppression, light search and rescue, basic first aid and disaster response techniques to help save lives before emergency crews arrive.
The course combined classroom instruction with practical exercises that simulated real emergencies…