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Joliet announces new CERT graduates, bilingual class and high school program
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Summary
City presentation honored 20 newly certified Community Emergency Response Team volunteers, noted more than 1,400 volunteer hours since March and announced a bilingual Spanish cohort and an upcoming high-school CERT program; council members and presenters encouraged public enrollment.
John Lukancic, presenting for Joliet’s CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program, introduced a graduating class of volunteers and several new instructors at the Oct. 19 council meeting.
Lukancic said the local CERT training uses a 27-hour curriculum (delivered as nine three-hour weekly sessions) that expands on FEMA’s standard program. He reported the most recent graduating cohort of about 20 volunteers completed roughly 550 combined training hours, and that since the program’s March start, members have contributed more than 1,400 combined volunteer hours to training and community events.
Lukancic highlighted four program values — diversity, integrity, compassion and respect — and said instructors for the program include Detard Beyer, Chelsea Bowen, Bob Horn, Lashay Hudson and Magdalena Campos. He said the program is fielding a first bilingual (Spanish) cohort at the Spanish Center, and that the next adult class is scheduled to begin Sept. 9, with a CERT program launching in local high schools this fall.
Council members congratulated the graduates and urged residents to consider enrollment. The presentation noted CERT volunteers have supported events such as Taste of Joliet, Blues Fest and other community gatherings, and that course registration is available through a QR code the presenter displayed.
