With a recent magnitude 4.7 earthquake having occurred in Southern California and with wildfires raging in certain parts of the state, many of us are asking ourselves: “When disaster strikes, would I know what to do?” The City of West Hollywood is urging community members to prioritize preparedness and is getting out the word that the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Community Emergency Response Team (“CERT”) is presenting CERT Training in September 2024.

West Hollywood CERT Training is free and will take place on Friday, September 27, 2024, from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, September 28, 2024; and Sunday, September 29, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Hollywood Park Aquatic and Recreation Center’s Fairfax/La Brea Room, located at 8750 El Tovar Place, adjacent to West Hollywood Library. Register early! Space is limited and expected to fill quickly. Participants must register in advance and attend all three sessions to receive a certificate of completion. To register for CERT Training, please visit the LA County Fire Department CERT training website.

Following a disaster, police, fire, and medical professionals may not be able to meet the immediate demand for emergency medical attention. Residents and neighbors may need to rely upon one another to help with immediate life-saving needs. CERT Training was developed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide basic fire safety and life-saving skills.

CERT Training participants will learn valuable survival skills, including disaster preparedness, terrorism, disaster fire suppression, disaster psychology, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, team organization, and drill simulation, which can be vital in the immediate aftermath of a major disaster.

For more information, please contact Jessica Anukam, the City of West Hollywood’s Public Safety Specialist, at (323) 848-6436 or at janukam@weho.org. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

For up-to-date information about City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign-up for news updates at www.weho.org/email, and visit the City’s calendar of meetings and events at www.weho.org/calendar. West Hollywood City Hall is open for walk-in services at public counters or by appointment by visiting www.weho.org/appointments. City Hall services are accessible by phone at (323) 848-6400 and via website at www.weho.org. Receive text updates by texting “WeHo” to (323) 848-5000.

For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood’s Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or slunn@weho.org.