South Lake Tahoe Fire Department hosts first responder training class

The South lake Tahoe Fire Department will provide a first responder training class called STAT; South Tahoe Action Teams, this Thursday, September 3rd. STAT is modeled after CERT; Community Emergency Response Team, held in other cities.

This program is designed to incorporate trained citizens in the field with the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department and other first responders during times of crisis. This is the first program of its kind in the Tahoe Basin.

Classes will run approximately 2 hours per class for four weeks. The next session starts this Thursday and runs from September 3 - September 24, 2015. Classes will be held every Thursday night from 6pm-8pm in the Fire Department Training Center located at 1100 Al Tahoe Blvd.

Curriculum will include 8 hours of instruction taught by members of the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department. Applicants will be expected to commit their time and will be called upon in times of natural disaster, large scale emergencies and times of need in the South Lake Tahoe area. Due to staffing and equipment limitations the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department will be reliant on local citizens’ abilities to assist in their neighborhoods with basic first aid and triage. We will also need STAT team members to be well versed in our command structure, emergency first aid, lifting/moving techniques, use of extinguishers, flood safety and building collapse.

The application is available online at www.cityofslt.us/stat or at any fire station. Complete the application and arrive at the Fire Department Training Center located at 1100 Al Tahoe Blvd. at 5:45 for the this week’s session and 6pm the following weeks. The Fire Department Training Center is located in the portables at the former Al Tahoe Elementary school complex.