Frequently Asked Questions

CERT is a training program that prepares you to help yourself, your family, and your neighbors in the event of a disaster. During an incident, emergency service personnel may not be able to reach everyone immediately. By getting trained in CERT, you will have the skills to help emergency responders save lives and protect property.

Under the direction of local emergency responders, CERT teams help provide critical support by giving immediate assistance to victims, providing damage assessment information, and organizing other volunteers at a disaster site.  Volunteers trained in CERT also perform duties such as shelter support, crowd control, and evacuation.  The role of a CERT volunteer is to help others until trained emergency personnel respond.

In addition to supporting emergency responders during a disaster, the CERT program builds strong working relationships between emergency responders and the people they serve. CERT teams also help the community year-round by helping with community emergency plans, neighborhood exercises, preparedness outreach, fire safety education, and workplace safety.

Participants learn how to:

• Apply basic medical techniques
• Assist emergency responders
• Conduct light search and rescue
• Extinguish small fires
• Help reduce survivor stress
• Identify and anticipate hazards
• Reduce fire hazards in the home and workplace
• Set up medical treatment areas

In 95% of all emergencies, the victim or bystander provides the first immediate assistance on the scene. Would you know what to do? CERT training takes about 20 hours to complete and provides critical skills in emergency preparedness and response.

Types of people who should take the training include:

• Communities of faith
• Community leaders
• Members of clubs and civic organizations
• Neighborhood Watch groups
• Parents
• People interested in taking an active role in hometown preparedness
• Scouting and youth organizations
• Students, teachers, and administrators