Are you prepared for an emergency?  Would you like to learn how to help your family and neighbors if one occurs?  Then you are invited to become a member of Hanover County’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). 
 
Beginning January 19 and continuing into February, and basic CERT classes will be held at the Ashcake Volunteer Rescue Squad, located at 8375 New Ashcake Road, Mechanicsville VA 23111. Classes will be on Thursdays from January 19 through February 16 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The deadline to register is Friday, January 13, by 5 p.m.
 
Topics will include emergency preparedness, basic first aid, fire extinguisher usage, search and rescue, terrorism, and incident command structure.  The classes will be taught by FEMA-certified CERT members.  In order to graduate, attendance will be required for each class.

If you would like to participate, you can register by sending your email with name and cell phone number to [email protected]. You can be as young as 17 years with your parent present. As always, the training is free!

Over 250 Hanover residents have taken this class and 80 have gone on to join the CERT Unit as volunteers under Hanover Fire/EMS.  Those Unit members assist in events and, with higher training, can also be deployed to incidents such as search and rescue, traffic control, etc.

Hanover CERT team members have assisted with the COVID-19 vaccination program, North Anna Nuclear Power Plant drill, the search for a missing boy around North Anna Battlefield Park, water and ice distribution after tornados, and the Louisa County earthquake.