While college students are getting ready for midterms and turning in their papers, employees at the University of California San Diego took a test on first aid training.
It's called the Campus Emergency Response Team, or CERT for short, which train people in all aspects of crisis-response.
A group of 15 staff paired up for hands-on training to prepare for a possible emergency or a natural disaster.
"We face wildland fire, earthquakes, utility failures," said UCSD Director of Continuity and Emergency Services Phillip Van Saun. "It's all hazards preparedness to help people be empowered."
In this three-day program, a veteran emergency responder taught the class how to react in a regional crisis like we saw with hurricane Sandy and how to help victims.
One of the employees says, she now feels prepared in case of an emergency on- and off-campus.
"I can do some basic first aid now. I have a backpack with emergency supplies so I feel like I could help with search and rescue until emergency aid gets there," expressed UCSD staff member Sarah Velarde.
Today's CERT training at UCSD was the last one of the year for these employees, but anyone can sign up to learn these emergency-response skills.
You can go to San Diego's Fire Department website and search for the Community Emergency Response Training.
