WHAT IS CERT?
The CERT course will benefit any
citizen who takes it. This individual will be better prepared to respond to and
cope with the aftermath of a disaster. Additionally, if a community wants to
supplement its response capability after a disaster, civilians can be recruited
and trained as neighborhood, business, and government teams that, in essence,
will be auxiliary responders. These groups can provide immediate assistance to
victims in their area, organize spontaneous volunteers who have not had the
training, and collect disaster intelligence that will assist professional
responders with prioritization and allocation of resources following a disaster
The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness for 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. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises,
CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an
event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT
members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a
more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.