Emergencies and disasters can happen on a small or large scale and first responders rely on volunteers to provide assistance, quickly and safely, whenever possible. Summer is the perfect time to get involved in your community and lend a helping hand. Free emergency response training courses make it easy to learn some lifesaving skills that can really make a difference.

Here are a few organizations that offer online and in-person courses in emergency preparedness:

FEMA – the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers free Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) courses in disaster preparedness, including everything from basic fire safety skills to search and rescue. Communities in 28 states and Puerto Rico offer CERT training.

American Red Cross – Volunteers make up the backbone of the American Red Cross, helping out during almost 70,000 disasters every year, many of which are fires in homes or apartments. Training also includes learning how to provide service and information before emergencies and assisting with post-disaster recovery.

The Salvation Army – Many of the courses offered through the Salvation Army are free, although some require completion of prerequisite courses. Classes run the gamut from incident management and spiritual care to basic first aid and CPR.

National Center for Disaster Preparedness (NCDP) – Offering emergency training both online and in-person, NCDP teaches skills in preventing, preparing for and responding to public health emergencies. More than 100,000 individuals have completed NCDP courses over the past decade.

This summer, take the time to learn some new skills and help out the first responders in your community. Wherever you go, be sure to take along Heatsheets Emergency Blankets; you’ll find them to be an essential emergency response tool. Available in a high visibility yellow; flip the blankets silver side in to retain up to 90 percent body heat, or wear them silver side out to keep the user from overheating. The blankets fold to pocketsize, making them the perfect fit for any emergency.

Contact Heatsheets at 773-337-3887 for more information on Heatsheets Emergency Blankets.