CERT

Community Emergency Response Team 

What is CERT?

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.

CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, which allows them to focus on more complex tasks. Through CERT, the capabilities to prepare for and recover from disasters are built and enhanced.

CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens may initially be on their own and their actions can make the difference. While people will respond to others in need without the training, one goal of the CERT program is to help them do so effectively and efficiently without placing themselves in unnecessary danger. In the CERT program training, citizens learn to:

  • manage utilities and put out small fires;
  • threat the three medical killers by opening the airways, controlling bleeding, and treating for shock;
  • provide basic medical aid;
  • search for and rescue victims safely;
  • organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective, and;
  • collect disaster intelligence to support first responder efforts.

Using CERT training learned in the classroom and during exercises, individuals can assist others in their neighborhood, workplace, or school following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help.

Who can take the training?

Naturals for the training are neighborhood watch, community organizations, communities of faith, school staff, workplace employees, scouting organizations, and other groups that come together regularly for a common purpose but individuals who are not affiliated with a group may also take the course to learn skills that are useful in disaster and everyday life events.

For more information about CERT, please email: comanchecert@gmail.com or call: (580) 280-1006.