What is C.E.R.T.?
Community Emergency Response Team. A group of organized people who have received special training for the purpose of enhancing their ability to recognize, respond to, and recover from a major emergency or disaster situation.
Where do we find team members?
- Neighborhoods/Homeowners' Associations
- Graduates of the Citizens Fire and Police Academies
- City and County Employees
- Apartments and Office Buildings
- The Hotel/Motel Industry
- Businesses/Civic Groups
- Schools/Churches/Hospitals/Retirement Communities
- Anywhere People Live, Work or Interact
What is it's purpose?
To support and direct statewide training
and education in disaster planning and preparedness. Increase community
awareness of disaster preparedness.
Provide assistance to any government
agency that requests volunteer services
in any capacity.
Contact with other
Emergency Management related
organizations, and coordination of
annual CERT Conferences.
How do I become a member?
Membership is available to anyone with the ability and interest in helping out in the community. CERT training promotes a partnering effort between emergency services and the people they serve. The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of the neighborhoods, community organizations, or workplaces in basic skills. CERT members are then integrated into the emergency response capability for their area. If a disastrous event overwhelms or delays the community's professional response, CERT members can assist others by applyibg the basic response and organizational skills that they learned during training. These skills can help save and sustain lives following a disaster until help arrives. CERT skills also apply to daily emergencies.
CERT members maintain and refine their skills by participating in exercises and activities. They can attend supplemental training oppurtunities offered by the sponsoring agency and others that further their basic skills base. Finally, CERT members can volunteer for projects that improve community emergency preparedness.
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