CERT
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program helps train people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community.
About CERT
The CERT course is delivered in the community by a team of first responders who have the requisite knowledge and skills to instruct the sessions.
The CERT training for community groups is usually delivered in 2.5 hour sessions, one evening a week over a 7 week period.
The training consists of the following:
- Disaster Preparedness
- Disaster Fire Suppression
- Disaster Medical
- Operations Part I
- Disaster Medical Operations
- Part II
- Light Search and Rescue Operations
- Disaster Psychology and Team Organization
- Course Review and Disaster Simulation
PREPARING A COMMUNITY
CERT is about readiness, people helping people, rescuer safety, and doing the greatest good for the greatest number. CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens will be initially on their own and their actions can make a difference. Through training, citizens can manage utilities and put out small fires; provide basic medical aid; treat the three killers by opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating for shock; search for and rescue victims safely; and organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective.
Reference the FEMA website for independent study: http://training.fema.gov/IS/
In the upper right hand corner is a red box, select NIMS Courses. Participants will need to complete the following:
- IS-100a (ICS 100) Introduction to Incident Command System, I-100
- IS-700.a National Incident Management System (NIMS), An Introduction
- Interactive Web-based Course - EMI learning site
If you have additional questions on the CERT program, please contact Officer Jerry Keppler at 847-515-5409.