CERT classes start up again Tuesday

The Newport Beach Fire Department is accepting registrants to its next Community Emergency Response Team class, starting next week.

The classes start Tuesday and are Tuesday and Thursday until March 27, when there’s a final graduation ceremony and drill.

Classes start at 7 p.m. and last more than two hours.

CERT classes teach the public how to better prepare for natural or man-made emergencies. Class participants will be trained on basic first-aid techniques, search and rescue skills, and how to make larger-scale plans for neighborhoods. Students will also learn fire suppression skills and put it all to the test in a “drill the skills” simulation March 27.

People who are only available on weekends can participate in the department’s Saturday classes, which are every Saturday from March 6 to the March 27 graduation. Those classes go from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

All classes are free for Newport Beach residents and $40 for non-residents. All classes take place at the department’s Fire Station No. 7, 20401 Acacia St., in Newport Beach. For more information, call (949) 644-3112 or e-mail nbcert@nbfd.net.

— Joseph Serna