The commission has arranged for Saratoga residents to attend Community Emergency Response Team training in Los Gatos. The classes, which cover such disaster-related topics as first aid, hazardous materials, damage assessment and neighborhood organization, are taught by Santa Clara County Fire Department personnel, with help from some local volunteers.

According to Assistant City Manager Lorie Tinfow, about nine Saratoga residents registered for a training session offered last summer. Safety commission member Brigitte Ballingall said those residents—in addition to herself and her fellow commissioners, who took the course early last year—are then registered as disaster service workers with the city. They are given badges so that emergency personnel can identify them and seek their assistance in the event of a disaster.

Cupertino Emergency Services Coordinator Marsha Hovey said that, though Saratogans have attended CERT training in Cupertino before, the fire department plans to rotate the course offerings to all of the county fire jurisdictions to provide more frequent options. No matter which location they choose, Hovey said everyone who is able to attend should do so.

"The training is basic preparedness training that every person should know and that not many people take advantage of because it's not offered in schools," she said. "This class gives you the tools and knowledge to be able to respond to emergency situations when first responders may not be available."

Ballingall said the training is especially important in Saratoga because the city's budget doesn't cover an extensive emergency program.

"Most cities our size have a full-time emergency manager," Ballingall said. "Right now, our assistant city manager is our emergency manager."

That's why the public safety commission recently recommended several steps to prepare Saratoga for possible disasters. Besides training community members to assist each other and emergency personnel, Ballingall said other recommendations included paying greater attention to California's Standardized Emergency Management System regulations, establishing a citizens corps council to utilize local residents' skills and resources, and generally making emergency preparedness an "above-the-line priority."

CERT classes begin March 25 at the Santa Clara County Fire Department headquarters in Los Gatos. The course fee is $15. For more information and to register, contact the Saratoga Recreation Department at 408.868.1248 or 408.868.1249.