Ed. Note: The following is a news release provided by the city of Santa Clarita.

Santa Clarita residents are encouraged to take a Community Emergency Response Training, or CERT, course to protect themselves and their loved ones in case of an emergency, such as El Niño.

El Niño is here, and meteorologists forecast significant rainfall and storms for February and March.

In preparation, those in the path of storms should take the CERT course and learn how to protect themselves and their property.

At a CERT class, you will learn:

• What your sources of information and warning are.
• How to prepare your home and workplace.
• How to develop an emergency communications plan.
• To know what to do when the severe weather approaches.
• To understand and learn what to do for other hazards such as earthquakes, fires, flooding, terrorism and hazardous material incidents.
• How to be ready and be resilient.

The spring session begins March 31 and ends on May 12, 2016. The class meets on Thursday evenings from 6 – 9 p.m.

Register online here. You must be 18 years or older to participate.

You can also subscribe to receive emergency notifications via email or text message by filling out an online form or by texting SCEMERGENCY to 888777.