The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a national program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that trains and organizes volunteers to assist their communities in the event of a disaster. The program’s core mission is to educate people about disaster preparedness and equip them with basic response skills.
Here’s a breakdown of what the CERT program is and what its members do:
Core Purpose
- “Neighbors helping neighbors”: CERT was founded on the idea that in the immediate aftermath of a major disaster, professional first responders may be overwhelmed or unable to reach all affected areas. CERT volunteers are trained to provide immediate assistance to their families, neighbors, and co-workers until professional help arrives.
- A “force-multiplier” for first responders: CERT members are trained to handle a variety of basic response tasks, which allows professional responders to focus on more complex, critical tasks.
Training and Skills
CERT training is a comprehensive program that covers a range of essential disaster response skills. While specific curricula may vary by location, key training modules typically include:
- Disaster Preparedness: Learning about the hazards most likely to affect the community and how to prepare for them.
- Fire Safety: Basic fire suppression, identifying and reducing fire hazards, and using fire extinguishers.
- Disaster Medical Operations: Triage (the process of sorting victims by the severity of their injuries), basic first aid, and establishing a treatment area.
- Light Search and Rescue: Learning safe techniques for searching a structure, removing debris, and extricating victims.
- Team Organization and Disaster Psychology: Working as a team using the Incident Command System (ICS), and understanding the emotional and psychological effects of a disaster on both victims and rescuers.
Roles and Responsibilities
While the primary role of a CERT member is to assist in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, their activities extend beyond this. CERT volunteers may also:
- Promote Preparedness: Educate the public about disaster preparedness through community events and presentations.
- Support Non-Emergency Events: Provide assistance with first-aid, traffic control, and crowd management at community events like festivals and parades.
- Assist in Recovery Efforts: Help with tasks like distributing supplies, staffing emergency operations centers, and assisting at evacuation centers.