Washoe County residents who want to be better prepared for an emergency are invited to participate in free Community Emergency Response Team training offered by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Corps during the first two weekends in March.

Community Emergency Response Training is conducted by Citizen Corps staff and volunteers along with appropriate subject matter experts. Topics include disaster preparedness, emergency medical techniques, fire safety, search and rescue, disaster psychology, and terrorism.

The training is free and trainees are not required to become a Citizen Corps volunteer to participate.

This is a 24 hour training course that takes place over two consecutive weekends: Friday, March 4, from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., and Saturday, March 5 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
and
Friday, March 11, from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, march 12 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

No special skills are required. Children 12-15 may participate with parent’s supervision, teens 16-17 with parent’s permission. To sign up for training, call (775) 325-6927 or (775) 325-6928, or email: lsienko@washoecounty.us or kpaschall@washoecounty.us

What: Community Emergency Response Training

When: This is a 24 hour training course that takes place over two consecutive weekends:
Friday, March 4, from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. and Saturday, March 5 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
and
Friday, March 11, from 6 – 10 p.m. and Saturday, March 12 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Where: Regional Public Safety Training Center, 5190 Spectrum Blvd., Reno

Cost: Free, and trainees are not required to become a volunteer

Contact: To sign up for training, call (775) 325-6927 or (775) 325-6928,
or email: lsienko@washoecounty.us or kpaschall@washoecounty.us

Approximately 500 volunteers currently serve in the Citizen Corps administered by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. The corps consists of five teams: the Sheriff’s Mobile Auxiliary Response Team, Citizens Homeland Security Council, Community Emergency Response Team, Animal Rescue Team and Law Enforcement Chaplain.

During the 2009-2010 fiscal year; Citizen Corps volunteers donated over 15,000 hours of service to their community, saving the Sheriff’s Office hundreds of thousands of dollars in staff time.
In 2010, FEMA recognized the achievements of Washoe County’s Citizen Corps by awarding them the National Citizen Corps Achievement Awards– Outstanding Citizen Corps Council Award for a council serving a population under 750,000.
For more information about the Washoe County Citizen Corps, visit www.wcsovolunteer.org.