Five members of the Capt. Peter Chapman II Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, took part in a two-day Community Emergency Response Team training class at the Ohio Fire Academy in Reynoldsburg, according to Knox Pages. The squadron members joined 27 other Ohio Wing CAP members, including cadets and adult volunteers.
The local participants were Squadron Commander Capt. Ronald Winget; Deputy Commanders Chief Master Sergeant Craig Cox and Capt. John Morgan; Capt. Kimberly Cox; and Cadet Staff Sergeant Abigail Hudson, the report said.
The CAP CERT course is offered annually with the Franklin County Emergency Management Agency and combines 12 hours of online instruction with 12 hours of hands-on training, according to the report. Topics included disaster preparedness, fire safety and small fire suppression, disaster medical triage and treatment, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, hazardous materials recognition and terrorism awareness. The class ended with 30-minute situational exercises.
Morgan said CERT training helps members assist themselves, their families and neighbors until outside support arrives. He also said the CAP team can be deployed statewide when state or local agencies request it, and that individual members can serve on local CERT teams in their home counties through county EMA offices.
Knox Pages reported that more than 100 CAP members have become CERT-certified since the program began four years ago. The squadron meets Mondays at 6 p.m. at the Knox County Airport terminal building, and its cadet program is open to ages 12 to 18, the report said.