A visit to a local city’s health fair and the desire to spend more time with her brother led Michelle Rand to participate in the City of Torrance Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) this winter. Michelle is known for her boundless energy and dedication to helping nonprofits and actively caring for her neighbors. The training equipped her with more tools and skills to help the community she loves be more prepared for emergencies – while spending valuable time with her loved one
“The CERT program trained us to assess our surroundings,” Michelle explained, “and when deemed safe, to help our neighbors and those in need. This is critical because in an emergency or disaster, first responders may not be able to respond to a person right away due to needs elsewhere. I also had fun spending time with my brother, which made the training even more worthwhile,” she said.
CERT prepares community members who volunteer to support the City’s response following a large disaster. Led by the Torrance Fire Department (TFD), volunteers receive training on how to be self-sustaining for five days following a large incident and to help others during emergency/disaster situations. The key to the training is understanding how to be ready and prepared. TFD trains CERT members in areas such as small fire suppression, light urban search and rescue, and providing medical aid and psychological comfort to others.
At the completion of the training, Michelle received a bag of safety equipment sponsored by Torrance Refining Company LLC (TORC), to aid with her new role in emergency/disaster response.
Torrance Refinery’s Fire Chief Joe Alvarez explained, “The Refinery and the City have a shared vision of public safety. Just as we train every refinery employee to play a role in safe operations and emergency preparedness, we believe community members can play an important role keeping each other safe when emergency responders are unable to immediately respond. We are pleased to continue our longtime support of the CERT program. We see how it aligns with the same mindset we have at the Refinery – putting safety first and always being prepared.”
Anyone interested in participating in upcoming CERT classes should contact TFD CERT Program Coordinator Ellery Sanders at ESanders@TorranceCA.gov.