Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Completing their emergency response training are Christina Taylor, Amanda Hargreaves. Jen Shaw. Amber Schadegg, Christina Hundley, Zeb Brown, Blake Wagner, Michael Chu and Mark Miller. The class of Kimball area students was taught by Community Emergency Response Team instructor Bob Hessler.
Kimball recently launched a new Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), aiming to prepare local residents for potential disasters.
The CERT program, supported by FEMA, Homeland Security, and Nebraska Emergency Management, equips community members with the skills to care for themselves, their families, and neighbors in the event of a large-scale emergency.
Ron Leal, from Emergency Management Region 21, hosted the inaugural training event, emphasizing the importance of self-reliance in times of crisis. The training took place over two days, beginning Friday evening and continuing all day Saturday.
Instructor Bob Hessler, who led the sessions, shared that Friday's lessons focused on basic safety protocols, such as turning off water and gas lines in an emergency. On Saturday, participants built their own "Go Packs," essential kits for use in case they need to evacuate their homes.
Throughout the course, participants also received instruction on a range of critical topics including disaster psychology, incident command systems, basic first aid, and how to stop bleeding. The training concluded with a practical lesson on search and rescue operations.
The CERT program's mission is to assist professional emergency responders during mass disaster situations. By empowering local volunteers with essential survival and rescue skills, the community becomes better equipped to handle emergencies, ensuring that aid can be provided quickly and effectively.
