(BIVN) – A free Community Emergency Response Team basic training course will be held in Hilo in late January 2024.

The Hawaiʻi County Civil Defense Agency announced is has scheduled the 2-day CERT training for Saturday and Sunday, January 27 and 28, 2024 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Aupuni Center Conference Room at 101 Pauahi St. in Hilo.

The FEMA sponsored community resiliency training program is offered free to the public, officials say, but space is limited to first-come basis and registration can be done by email.

The purpose of the CWRT training is to “empower participants and their communities on how to best respond to an emergency or disaster,” civil defense says.

“This course could help save a life,” civil defense says.

To register for this class, please email hawaiicert@gmail.com with your name and phone number, the County says.