Public safety officials are looking for Whitman residents interested in training as volunteer members of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The next round of free monthly classes begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15 at the Whitman Central Fire Station.

“We just want to train more people just so we can expand and use the resources that they have,” said Lisa Riley, assistant deputy director-administration with the Whitman Emergency Management Agency (WEMA). “We’re more hands-on because we do use them.”

Training classes are always open, so those who miss the first class are not blocked from taking another. Missed classes will always revolve through again.

“It’s always open,” Riley said. “From these classes, sometimes we get people who continue and then other people drop off. What we’re trying to do is build our corps again.”

Whitman has been offering CERT training courses since 2004, with between 15-20 people signing up for each class, according to Riley. The program and its training is not funded by the town, she stressed.

Lead trainer for the classes is Lt. Robert Hover. Fire Chief Timothy Grenno, who also takes part as a trainer, is the Whitman emergency management director who streamlines the CERT response as the fire department is where 911 calls of that nature come in. Deptuty Chief Joseph Feeney is a trainer as well.

CERT volunteers staff the rehab unit during fires or storms, and staff phones in emergencies to free up first responders to do their jobs.

There are still about 25 trained volunteers, but by adding more there will be more hands available in emergencies — spreading out the response duties.

“They’re comfortable because they are well trained, they know how to deal with these types of emergencies,” Riley said.

Among the training CERT volunteers receive is putting out small fires, CPR, awareness of potential hazards, traffic control assistance and helping staff large non-emergency events.

Availability key

Part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) umbrella of state and local affiliated volunteer groups, CERT fills the role once played by the old Civil Defense organization. As such it, like many volunteer fire departments across the country, depends in part on people who are available at all hours.

A larger corps of volunteers will allow flexibility in response availability.

“We need somebody around, so we’re trying to get people from both the day and nighttime perspective — people that will generally want to help their home community,” Riley said. “It gets people involved in the community at the same time it’s not a demand thing.”

Classes are offered once a month so people stay refreshed and can better make an effort to attend.

“Our classes are generally filled at least at the training level,” Riley said. “They might say, ‘OK, I’ve learned.’”

Some do attend for personal knowledge, others find they want to participate as a volunteer but cannot fit it into their work schedule. Some in the latter category do return as their circumstances change.

Classes cover the heirarcy, or chain of command, that makes the program efficient, Riley and Feeney said,.

“It spreads out the span of control so you’re not in charge of too many people or too many things,” Feeney said. “It limits your focus to a manageable amount of tasks and people.”

It makes it easier to track expenses for reimbursement and controls accountability, he said.

Training classes cover disaster preparedness, fire safety, disaster medical, light search and rescue operations, CERT organization, disaster psychology and terrorism and CERT. The orientation meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Central Fire Station, 56 Temple St. For more information or to register, call Lisa Riley at 781618-9866.