Service dog helps his handler graduate CERT training

Riverside County Emergency Services says Palm Desert residents are in good hands, and paws, in case a major disaster hits. HeatherJean Gonyier, from Palm Desert, graduated from a Community Emergency Response Training class with the help of her service dog. “I did wonder at first how I was going to be able to fit into this and how this was going to work and if I was going to be able to contribute at all,” Gonyier said. Gonyier and her service dog, Sam, are the very first pair to graduate from Palm Desert’s CERT class. Gonyier’s limited mobility and dependence on Sam made her experience a unique one. “He makes sure that I am physically and mentally OK, and he alerts me to let me know if I need medication or if I need to go somewhere safe and quiet, and that gave me the freedom to be able to work with other people, without having to worry about what my own medical issues were,” Gonyier said. Riverside County Emergency Services ‘, Brooke Federico, says the training is for everyone. “We want everyone to know that they can do it, regardless of their abilities, regardless of what limitations they may have. There is a way to practice a plan to protect themselves and their service animals,” Federico said. After 20 hours of training and among 40 peers, Gonyier and Sam graduated top of their class. “It really made something unknown and intimidating, a doable thing. It was something that I could say, all right, I can do this, even though I can’t do it like everyone else, I can do it,” Gonyier said. The CERT program is free and offered in every city. Click here to find out how to enroll.