North Las Vegas crews help train residents for emergencies

Community Emergency Response Team instructors Clyde Tillery, left, and Mark Scoville demonstrate how to carry a person in a blanket at the North Las Vegas Fire Administration Building, Saturday, April 1, 2017. (Gabriella Benavidez Las Vegas Review-Journal) @gabbydeebee

Community Emergency Response Team instructor Clyde Tillery, right, demonstrates how to make a sling on William Hisa at the North Las Vegas Fire Administration Building, Saturday, April 1, 2017. (Gabriella Benavidez Las Vegas Review-Journal) @gabbydeebee

Las Vegas and North Las Vegas locals, from left of the front row, William Hisa and Dave Merriman learn how to respond to emergency situations at the North Las Vegas Fire Administration Building, Saturday, April 1, 2017. (Gabriella Benavidez Las Vegas Review-Journal) @gabbydeebee

Emergency manager Carlito Rayos discusses the importance of a community being prepared for an emergency at the North Las Vegas Fire Administration Building, Saturday, April 1, 2017. (Gabriella Benavidez Las Vegas Review-Journal) @gabbydeebee

Emergency manager Carlito Rayos discusses the importance of a community being prepared for an emergency at the North Las Vegas Fire Administration Building, Saturday, April 1, 2017. (Gabriella Benavidez Las Vegas Review-Journal) @gabbydeebee

Valley residents got the opportunity to learn how to respond to different emergency situations Saturday during a free course hosted by the North Las Vegas Fire Department.

Lessons ranged from how to make a sling to what to do in the event of an earthquake.

North Las Vegas emergency manager Carlito Rayos cited Thursday’s wind and dust storm as an example of crises that might arise.

“We had 80 mile per hour winds, sustained at 60 miles, and we were short-handed for emergency response,” Rayos said. “That’s why it’s important for the community to know how to handle emergencies like that.”

The city of North Las Vegas and Southern Nevada Community Emergency Response Training Response Team joined forces to offer the two-day Community Emergency Response Training course.

The CERT course, administered by the city of Las Vegas, teaches students about disaster preparedness, fire suppression, emergency medical response, search and rescue, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.