Posted: 9/11/2012 7:24:11 PM EDT
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There's a class being offered soon in my city, but there's a $20 charge for "disposable supplies".
I thought it was supposed to be free. With the class fee is it even worth doing? |
| From what I have read and had conversations with CERT graduates...it is worthwhile. I have not had the time available to commit, but would like to attend. When my neighbor(the designated CERT guy) left town...he came by and handed me the binder. He says..."your the CERT captian now.". From reading the binder...it has some very practical but not necessarily intuitive stuff to set in motion quickly after SHTF. Would recommend...$20 would be nominal. |
| Forget the dollar cost...the amount of networking you can do at such things is priceless! Lots of "like-minded" people belong to CERT, many who also want to meet people within the community, but can't make the time commitment or physical requirements to volunteer on the fire/EMS department, etc. |
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Forget the dollar cost...the amount of networking you can do at such things is priceless! Lots of "like-minded" people belong to CERT, many who also want to meet people within the community, but can't make the time commitment or physical requirements to volunteer on the fire/EMS department, etc. That's the other thing. Their pamphlet said if you don't attend the minimum amount of meetings and events you'll be booted from the team. 
I understand them wanting to keep people involved, but IMO it should be a good faith thing, I wouldn't want to get booted because I didn't show up for the Christmas parade "crowd control". I'm out of work, so I'm trying to decide if it's worth the (limited) money I have; if there's a chance I'll get removed for not meeting their minimum participation it makes me wonder if I should even try. |
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[That's the other thing. Their pamphlet said if you don't attend the minimum amount of meetings and events you'll be booted from the team.
Ah, OK, I did not realize that. I thought it was a good faith effort type thing. Initial training, some classes here and there, keep your basic skills sharp and be ready to respond. |
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[That's the other thing. Their pamphlet said if you don't attend the minimum amount of meetings and events you'll be booted from the team.
Ah, OK, I did not realize that. I thought it was a good faith effort type thing. Initial training, some classes here and there, keep your basic skills sharp and be ready to respond. I was under the same impression. I guess it's just not right for me...at least not at this time. |
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We don't boot anyone, supplies are paid for by the county and training classes can be made up.
We do NOT cover traffic for events, that the PD's job. We respond to supplement PD and FD as needed. During storms we have gone to senior citizen's homes to make sure they are OK. I have covered overflow calls at the dispatch desk when PD has maxed out shift time and guys are sleeping. We have 30 PD officers and 2 Vol. fire companies so a long event can drain resources. |
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We don't boot anyone, supplies are paid for by the county and training classes can be made up. We do NOT cover traffic for events, that the PD's job. We respond to supplement PD and FD as needed. During storms we have gone to senior citizen's homes to make sure they are OK. I have covered overflow calls at the dispatch desk when PD has maxed out shift time and guys are sleeping. We have 30 PD officers and 2 Vol. fire companies so a long event can drain resources. Well I guess my cert trainers are just over-zealous. 
I thought it was more laid-back. On the city's cert page they say they work the 4th of July fireworks and Christmas parade for traffic and crowd control. |
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...I'm out of work, so I'm trying to decide if it's worth the (limited) money I have; if there's a chance I'll get removed for not meeting their minimum participation it makes me wonder if I should even try. If you are out of work and $20 is a concern the time would be better spent getting back to work. |
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The networking is worth $20, the classes are very very basic and the handout items are barely worth the $20 My "stocked" CERT bag went to a new member. He was a late add on, nice young guy very Gung-Ho. I'm not going to be running around in a storm in a green hard hat and green vest with minimal reflective striping. Rock climbing helmet spray painted green, DPW neon vest with tons of reflecto-tape. As for the tools...very basic. It came with a flashlight that takes a lantern battery...nuff said. |
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...I'm out of work, so I'm trying to decide if it's worth the (limited) money I have; if there's a chance I'll get removed for not meeting their minimum participation it makes me wonder if I should even try. If you are out of work and $20 is a concern the time would be better spent getting back to work. It's not that the money is an issue, I have more than enough to make it through my unemployment, but I hate to waste money (i.e. pay to learn stuff that is here for free.) |