Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a FEMA-sponsored program that educates and trains volunteers in disaster preparedness. This program, established in all 50 states, offers a consistent platform to create teams that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations.
As a member of a CERT program, you will be trained in basic disaster response skills, such as disaster medical operations, disaster psychology, fire safety, and light search and rescue. It's up to the sponsoring organization to determine how teams will be utilized, but the most common activities CERT members participate in are traffic/crowd management, supporting emergency operations centers and distributing preparedness information to the public.
Why CERT? When a disaster strikes, you are the help until help arrives. Being part of a CERT program and having basic disaster response skills allows you to help those around you, whether it be at work, school or home, immediately following a disaster.