Community Emergency Response Team
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program is a national curriculum developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for members of the public. It educates participants about disaster preparedness for hazards in their area and prepares people to help themselves, their families, and their neighbors in the event of a disaster.
CERT training teaches participants basic disaster response skills, such as:
- Basic fire safety
- Light search and rescue operations
- Disaster medical operations
- Team organization
CERT provides the blueprint for communities, businesses, and schools to organize volunteer teams that can be called upon to deploy in the event of a large-scale emergency. The program offers a national approach that equips participants with the knowledge necessary to address life-saving needs when the capacity of professional responders is overextended due to the scale of a disaster.
Watch the video below for a detailed look at Community Emergency Response Teams or share this 30-second overview with your community.
Community Emergency Response Team members from California, Florida, and Texas explain how they come together to prepare their communities and assist their neighbors during emergencies.
See how CERT volunteers responded to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina:
North Carolina Community Emergency Response Team Volunteers Make an Impact During Hurricane Helene Recovery Efforts | NC DPS
CERT was first conceptualized and implemented by the Los Angeles City Fire Department in 1985. The Whittier Narrows earthquake in 1987 underscored the need to train civilians on life-saving emergency response protocol to help communities better address time-sensitive medical and rescue efforts after a disaster before professional responders arrive. CERT became a national program in 1993.
There are now CERT programs in all 50 states, including many tribal nations and U.S. territories. Each CERT program is unique to its community and is essential to building a Culture of Preparedness in the United States. There are more than 3,200 local CERT programs nationwide and more than 600,000 people have participated in the training since CERT became a national program.
In Weber County, CERT training is offered as a hybrid learning program consisting of 8 online self-paced modules and 4 consecutive in-person classes. Weber County Emergency Management, Weber County CERT Council, and Weber Fire District partner together to host the CERT training program twice a year for residents.
Weber County CERT Council
The Weber County CERT Council is composed of locally appointed representatives that manage CERT teams and activities in their jurisdiction. The Council acts as a centralized body to support a collaborative approach to recruitment, training, and team development across the county.
Not all jurisdictions within Weber County maintain active or full-scale CERTs. However, all Weber County residents are encouraged to participate in the CERT training program to learn technical skills that will empower them to assist their family and neighbors in the event of a disaster.
For information about whether your jurisdiction has a CERT that holds regular meetings, refer to the contact chart below.
While CERT teams are often run at the community level by local jurisdictions, CERT can also be an important preparedness mechanism for businesses, schools, and universities.
Are you a local business owner?
A Workplace CERT program can support and enhance existing capabilities, and CERT volunteers can participate in efforts to increase the preparedness and resilience of the workplace and community.
Are you a teacher or professor?
A Teen CERT program can support a school or university’s emergency operations plan and assist emergency services personnel, providing valuable surge capacity to local first responders when needed.
Please contact Weber County Emergency Management if you are interested in developing a CERT program at your business, school, or university.