San Francisco Fire Department’s Neighborhood Emergency Response Team (NERT) and San Francisco SAFE offer training classes four times in January for folks interested in learning about disaster preparedness. I highly recommend attending this training, and I also recommend you consider attending the full NERT training program.

What: Free, Three-Hour Personal Preparedness Workshop and NERT Block Captain Training
This workshop will cover what every individual should know to prepare personally for a disaster, large or small. Topics include:

• Risk awareness
• Disaster supplies
• Personal disaster planning
• Utilities overview
• NERT overview
• Block disaster pre-planning with NERT and SF SAFE

Where: San Francisco Fire Department Division of Training, 2310 Folsom Street near 19th Street

When:
Thursday, January 17th, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 19th, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Tuesday, January 22nd, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 29th, 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

How: RSVP to sffdnert@sfgov.org or call 415-970-2024 to register

If you want to take it up a notch and attend the full-blown NERT training, there is a class that will be offered at SFFD Headquarters in South Beach at 698 2nd Street (at Townsend) on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. beginning February 19th and ending March 25th. Visit www.sfgov.org/sfnert to RSVP for this free, 6 week course. Please take time now so that you are better prepared to take care of yourself, your loved ones, and your neighbors in the event of a disaster - as Katrina reminded us, City services will be overwhelmed and unable to assist everyone.