Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Assn.

Disaster Preparation Training Offered

Jun 06, 2000

Disaster Preparation Training Offered
BY THE BUREAU OF FIRE, RESCUE & EMERGENCY SERVICES

The City of Portland Fire Bureau offers free NETs (Neighborhood Emergency Teams) classes to people who live or work in Portland. The Bureau is committed to training and organizing a team in each of the city?’s 94 neighborhoods. Over 630 citizens have already completed the training and teams have been started in 84 neighborhoods.

NETs are citizens trained and certified by the Portland Fire Bureau to provide emergency disaster assistance within their own neighborhoods. NET members receive basic training on how to save lives and property until the professionals can arrive. They have the skills to help their neighbors without getting hurt themselves. NET members are:
1. Better prepared for self-sufficiency for 72 hours following a disaster.
2. Able to provide emergency assistance to their family and immediate neighbors.
3. Able to work as an emergency response team to save lives and property in their neighborhood in the event of a major disaster.
4. Able to guide untrained volunteers who will want to help others when disaster strikes.

For certification, NET participants attend a total of 25 hours of basic training over eight weeks. The basic training includes some of the following:
?• Disaster Awareness
?• Home Preparedness
?• Fire Extinguishers
?• Hazardous materials
?• Light Search & Rescue
?• Rescue Techniques
?• Disaster Psychology, and others

In order to receive a registration packet for the next series of classes, please call 823-1260 and leave your name, address and phone number in the NET voice mailbox.

Please remember that you must live or work in Portland and be as least 14 years old to take the NET training. You will need to preregister for the training.