If you have attended any of the major parades or special events in our city, you couldn’t help but notice a group of people dressed in kelly green shirts and caps with the word CERT on them. Do you have any idea who these people are or what they do?
   CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. We (I am a part of the CERT team) learn what to do in case of a disastrous situation caused by man or nature. In such an event, the fire department, police, Red Cross and other emergency entities cannot always be on the scene of the disaster immediately.
   CERT members are trained to assess the overall situation, search for injured, do an assessment of the injured, or whatever is needed to be done until the emergency responders arrive.
   Once the emergency responders arrive, all the information the CERT team has gathered is given to them. After that, the CERT team is ready to be of assistance to the emergency responders as they are needed. We may do something as simple as sitting with people who are not injured, but are in need of moral support, transport injured, or keeping a record of who came to the emergency station.
   Classes are held in the emergency management facilities in City Hall twice a year, spring and fall. They last for nine weeks from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. Trained professionals and CERT members teach the classes. At the end of the training period, the class will participate in a planned exercise that will require them to use what they have learned.
   Everyone in the class who would like to join the team will be required to have a background check. All who pass the background check will then be issued a backpack that contains emergency items.
   The next class begins on Sept. 23. If you would like to join our team, call Mike at 573-6300. You must have a reservation to attend the class. Space is limited. There is no charge for the classes.
   Helen Marie Fotovich is a Kansas City, Kansas, resident.