Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • May 2, 2012 Mahwah Thirty-five Mahwah Community Emergency Response Team members turned out last week to train on the grounds of the Bergen County Law & Public Safety Institute. Four groups of Mahwah CERT members took turns entering the three-story life safety complex and reacting to multiple scenarios. Actors and props were used to create realistic situations. CERT members used the training they received during their basic training course to deal with several injury “victims,” potentially hazardous materials, and a fake bomb. The drill was observed by BCLPSI Senior Instructor Al Gerber and Instructor Tom Simmons, both of whom provided valuable feedback to the teams. Mahwah CERT is made up of volunteer residents who are trained to support professional first responders (police, fire, EMTs, et al.) in all types of emergency situations while serving the community in other ways during non-emergency times. CERT is part of a national program and is organized locally under the auspices of the Mahwah Office of Emergency Management. CERT conducts monthly meetings with additional training drills and public service events held throughout the year. For more information about Mahwah CERT, visit www. mahwahcert.org or contact CERT Coordinator Allan Becker at (201) 960-9132 or mahwahcert@optonline.net. Top photo: Mahwah CERT members tend to a ‘victim’ during one of the drills. Below: BCLPSI Senior Instructor Al Gerber conducting the debriefing after the drills. Law & Public Safety Institute hosts CERT drills