About CERT

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, using the model created by the Los Angeles City Fire Department, began promoting nationwide use of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept in 1994.  Since then, CERTs have been established in hundreds of communities.

CERT training promotes a partnering effort between emergency services and the people that they serve.  The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations, or workplaces in basic response 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 applying 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 is not a “miniature fire department”. CERT members are volunteers and self-activate only if it is clear that emergency responders would be delayed.  They would be able to assess their conditions in their own neighborhoods, and know how to help neighbors and family.  This is strictly voluntary.