The public is invited to attend San Benito County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT’s) SKYWARN Weather Spotter Training during CERT’s monthly training meeting from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office Conference Room. CERT will also offer a basic training course beginning in late January and running through February.
The weather spotter training will be provided by Matthew Mehle, NOAA, National Weather Service, Spotter Program Manager-Monterey.
The main responsibility of a SKYWARNÂ spotter is to identify and describe severe local storms. In the average year, 10,000 severe thunderstorms, 5,000 floods and more than 1,000 tornadoes occur across the United States. These events threatened lives and property.
Since the program started in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARNÂ spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite and other data, has enabled the National Weather Service to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flash floods.
“SKYWARN storm spotters are part of the ranks of citizens who form the nation’s first line of defense against severe weather,” CERT said in a press release. “here can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time—seconds and minutes that can help save lives.”
Training is free and typically last about two hours. Participants will learn:
• Basics of thunderstorm development
• Fundamentals of storm structure
• Identifying potential severe weather features
• Information to report
• How to report information
• Basic severe weather safety
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CERT Basic Training Course
Training for the winter 2017 CERT Basic Training Course is free and open to all residents San Benito County. Existing CERT Members wanting a refresher of all or part of the course are welcome to register as well.Â
If a major earthquake (or any disaster) hits, do you:
•have enough supplies for a minimum of 72 hours up to an entire month for all family members, including pets?
•know how to turn off the gas?
•know how to safely turn off the power?
•know how to apply first aid?
•have enough water for all of your family and your pets?
•have provisions for living outside your home for a length of time if the structure is compromised?
According to the CERT announcement: “It is important to know, if a major disaster occurs, the fire department, paramedics, police…will not come! They will be deployed first to major incidents such as collapsed buildings. That is why you constantly hear that you must be prepared to take care of yourself. In the CERT course they say ‘Provide the greatest good for the greatest number of people.’ When you are trained, you are far more equipped to deal with your circumstances without needing aid from outside sources.”
CERT members are trained in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. You will learn how to prepare for emergencies; what supplies you should now have in your house — how much food, how much water — but most importantly, how to protect your family in an emergency. The CERT program is an all-risk, all-hazard training. This course is designed to help you protect yourself, your family, your neighbors and your neighborhood in an emergency situation.
2017 CERT Basic Training Schedule
Jan. 26, 6-9 p.m.
   Unit 1: Disaster Preparedness
Jan. 31, 6-9 p.m.
   Unit 2: Fire Safety
Feb. 2, 6-9 p.m.
   Unit 3: Disaster Medical Operations Part 1
Feb. 7, 6-9 p.m.
   Unit 4: Disaster Medical Operations Part 2
Feb. 9, 6-9 p.m.
   Unit 5: Light Search & Rescue Operations
Feb. 14 — No Class / Valentine’s Day
Feb. 16, 6-9 p.m.
   Unit 6: CERT Organization
   Unit 7: Disaster Psychology
Feb. 21 — No Class
Feb. 23, 6-9 p.m.
   Unit 8: Terrorism & CERT
Saturday, Feb. 25, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Hollister Airport)
   Unit 9: Course Review, Disaster Simulation and Graduation at the airport
Note: All weekday classes will be conducted at the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office Conference Room.
To register or for more information, contact Sabrina Webb at (831) 636-4168 or email swebb@cosb.us.
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