Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST. JAMES­—Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee (HSOC) are sponsoring a free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training Aug. 26-27 at #4 Industrial Drive, St. James MO, 65559. Seating is limited for the class and priority will be given to individuals or groups within Region I – Crawford, Dent, Laclede, Maries, Phelps and Pulaski counties.

The class aims at providing citizens within the community with skills to perform essential lifesaving functions while waiting for the professional responders to arrive following a disaster. Each class is approximately 16 contact hours and is spread over two days – Saturday, Aug. 26 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 27 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

CERT has become a highly sought after course by citizens groups, corporations and school systems to train employees how to handle emergencies and disasters. Course topics include disaster fire suppression, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology and team organization.

“This class does not qualify you to be a firefighter or EMT – but it does provide you with basic skills to help yourself, your family and your neighbors during an emergency,” MRPC Assistant Director Tammy Snodgrass said.

Deadline to register is Aug. 18. To register or for more information contact MRPC Senior Community Development Specialist Anne Freand at 573-265-2993 ext. 105 or via email at afreand@meramecregion.org.

Funding for the training is provided by the Missouri Department of Public Safety and the Missouri Office of Homeland Security.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 23, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.orgor on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion/.