The cities of Snoqualmie and North Bend, along with Eastside Fire & Rescue, are jointly offering the FEMA-certified Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) course, which begins Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Snoqualmie Fire Station.

By becoming certified team members, participants will be better prepared to help their families, neighbors, and community during emergencies and disasters. CERT members can also give critical support to first responders in emergencies and provide immediate assistance to victims.

CERT training will provide participants the opportunity to learn techniques in fire suppression, search and rescue, disaster psychology, and disaster medical operations including triage techniques, patient assessment, and treating life-threatening injuries. The course concludes with a disaster simulation and drill.

A detailed schedule of session topics is available at www.cityofsnoqualmie.org.