High School Students Graduate from Emergency Response Team Program in Connecticut

June 11--NEW HAVEN -- The city now has another dozen young people with the skills to help out in a potential disaster situation.

The James Hillhouse High School students graduated from the 8-week teen Community Emergency Response Team program held through the New Haven Public Safety Academy at Hillhouse. The CERT program is funded through the Department of Homeland Security and the state Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

New Haven's program is one of about six in the state for teen members, said Rick Fontana, deputy direction of operations for the city's emergency operations center. Fontana helped organize the CERT program.

The city had its first teen CERT graduation last year.

Students learned about first aid, CPR, how to shelter during a disaster and the Incident Command System used during disasters. The program for teens teaches how to help their families and schools during a disaster.

Students can become members of the city's adult CERT team and help out the community during disasters when they turn 18, Fontana said.

Hillhouse senior Keveon Galan, 19, is one of the CERT graduates who is well on his way to a career in public safety.

He recently received his EMR certification and said he plans to get his EMT and paramedic certifications. He will be attending Gateway Community College and will major in the fire technology and administration associates program. He said he aspires to become a firefighter.

Fire Chief Allyn Wright and Assistant Chief Ralph Black beamed with excitement when they heard his resume. The department has been aiming to get more residents to become city firefighters.

Wright said that the graduates reminded him of himself when he was a student at Hillhouse.

"Each one of you can stand where I am right now and become chief because you are on the right track," he said.

Mayor Toni Harp commended the graduates for their dedication and willingness to assist the community with public safety in times of need.

Black helped with aspects of the academy such as organizing a cold water rescue exercise for the students.

The Public Safety Academy runs at Hillhouse and teaches students public safety skills and exposes them to public safety careers such as police, fire and EMS work. The program was founded 2 1/2 years ago by New Haven fire Lt. Gary Tinney and Bill Garraty, who is now an administrative intern at Hillhouse.

A number of city Fire Department personnel and others volunteer their time to teach the students.

Many ideas from the after-school academy will be used when Hillhouse implements its Public Safety and Law Academy, which will be one of two autonomous academies at the high school.

The CERT graduates include: Jacob Burnett, Mark Garcia, Keveon Galan, Leondrea Greene, Gregory Greene, River Herrera, Llanos Janciero, Sergio Miranda, David Esquilin Rivera, Neftaly Esquilin Rivera, Alexander Sanabria and Brendan Stewartson.

Call Rich Scinto at 203-789-5748. Have questions, feedback or ideas about our news coverage? Connect directly with the editors of the New Haven Register at AskTheRegister.com.

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