As rain pelted her Ross home the, Stephanie Cook was thinking about an escape route if flooding erupted like it did in Ross Valley early New Year's Eve.  This time around, the mother of two felt prepared because she just completed two sessions of CERT, or Community Emergency Response Training and had taken a CPR class.

"The reality is a majority of our population has an unrealistic view of their safety," Cook said. "To me, it's about the concept of being a good neighbor. Too many of us run around in our lives and aren't thinking about the big picture. Now I know to make sure my family is safe, and then the next step is the neighbors. The more people hear about the training, the better it will be."

Cook survived the Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 while living in San Francisco's Marina District. Then a few years ago, she and her husband watched their home burn to the ground. And then on New Year's, their Ross home was flooded.

Hurricane Katrina, the Ross Valley flood and the threat of earthquakes have focused attention on emergency training programs. Enrollment in such programs is on the rise.

Cook took CPR and first aid classes before an ocean sailing trip. She put it to use about five years ago, saving a man who was having a heart attack in a Seattle restaurant.

Her goal with CERT training is to have other Ross residents trained and ready to go in the event of a disaster, like the earthquake that's predicted to hit the Bay Area.

"By the end of summer, I want to have a team of 10 people," Cook said.

CERT training is based on the premise that a major earthquake is imminent and for the first 72 hours or longer, county residents will be on their own.

Corte Madera Fire Department Battalion Chief Greg Schaefer said there has been an increase in requests for CERT training after years of lack of interest.

"We want to make sure people have a fighting chance for the first couple of days," Schaefer said. "We need to be able to do the most good for the most people. That's how CERT people can help support their communities."

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