By SIMONE JOINER

VIDALIA — The Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office is hosting a Citizen’s Response to Catastrophic Violent Events training series that is free and open to all who want to attend.

“The goal of the session is to better prepare the community on how to survive catastrophic events,” said David Hendrick, CPSo chief deputy.

The series kicked off Monday night and will continue at 6 p.m. today and Thursday at the Concordia Parish Community Center at 26356 Louisiana 15 in Ferriday.

“The event was created because of the many school shootings, and business and church shootings,” Hendrick said. “The goal is to prepare people for a shooting.”

Hendrick said the series also would teach people how to take care of people who are injured in catastrophic events, including how to use a tourniquet, how to administer CPR, how to put out a fire and more, Hendrick said.

“We also offer a female defense course,” Hendrick said. “We have it every other month at the same location from 6 to 9 p.m. on every Monday of the month.”

The women’s defense classes will be held every Monday in March, Hedrick said.