Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
Community Emergency Preparedness Coordinator (CERT)
CERT is a program that trains community members in disaster response. CERT teams are organized and managed at the local level. The local preparedness program coordinates and support this program for the state at large by providing training opportunities and resources for the establishment and sustainment of these vital community-based teams. If you are interested in joining or starting a CERT, contact your local office of emergency management for more details.
TRAINING
The training involves approximately 18-20 hours of classroom instruction. This training consists of interactive skills-based training, lectures and concludes with a hands-on training exercise. Class registration is free and open to community members who are 18 years or older. Teenagers between 16 to 17 years old may participate in the training if accompanied by a parent/guardian.
CLASS PREREQUISITES
Please complete the following FEMA Independent Study Courses in the order below:
- IS-317.a: Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams
- IS-315.a: CERT and the Incident Command System
- IS-100.c: Introduction to the Incident Management System
- IS-700.b: Introduction to the National Incident Management System
You will need to present these four certificates at the beginning of class. It is important that you complete these courses ahead of time as the accelerated class will only review material these courses cover so we can concentrate on the practical exercise and experience drawn from that.
In addition, you may also consider taking these two courses to gain a better understanding of the Incident Command System (ICS) and the National Response Framework (NRF).
- IS-200.c: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
- IS-800.d: National Response Framework: An Introduction
It is recommended for CERT Volunteer Type 2 – National Qualification Standards (NQS) that volunteers complete 100, 200, 700 and 800.