Wilton’s all-volunteer Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), in conjunction with Wilton Emergency Management Director, Police Chief John Lynch, has scheduled its annual disaster preparedness training program to take place Jan. 31-Feb. 23, 2023.

Wilton citizens are invited to become trained to help family, friends, and neighbors in the event of an emergency or disaster.

CERT Instructors certified by the Connecticut Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, along with other instructors from the Wilton Police Department, Wilton Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service will assist in the training. The training will cover a variety of emergency skills, such as how to prepare for when a disaster strikes, fire safety, including how to extinguish small fires and how to evacuate a smoke-filled building, basic first aid, disaster psychology, hazardous materials, and terrorism awareness. At the conclusion of the course, disaster preparedness backpack kits will be provided free to all participants.

Upon successful completion of the course, graduates are eligible for and encouraged to join the Wilton CERT organization. As part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Wilton CERT regularly provides assistance to the town and its first responders at large emergency incidents and public events. Wilton CERT has performed a broad range of deployment activities, including traffic and crowd control duties, search and rescue for missing persons, staffing Wilton’s COVID-19 vaccination clinics, emergency shelter, and distributing emergency food and water when required.

The class begins Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, and will run twice a week for four weeks on Tuesday and Thursday evenings starting at 7 p.m.; Tuesdays will be held via Zoom, and Thursdays will be in person at Comstock Community Center (180 School St.). Interested individuals should register as soon as possible, as class size is limited. Visit CERT online for information and to register online. Course participants and those wishing to join CERT must be 18 years or older. There is no cost for this training.

For further information, please contact Wilton CERT via email.