What is CERT?
Each year, many communities are rocked by severe weather, such as tornadoes, floods or flash floods, winter storms, or by manmade disasters.
The damage caused by such disasters affect everyone. Disasters can:
severely restrict and overwhelm emergency response resources, communications, transportation and utilities; and
leave individuals and neighborhoods cut off from outside emergency support.
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are trained to take care of themselves and then help others in their communities for the first three days following a disaster.
This is when debris-clogged or damaged roads, disrupted communications, or high volume of calls may prevent access by emergency response personnel.
The purpose of CERT training is to provide citizens with the basic skills required to handle virtually all their own needs and then to be able to respond to their communities needs in the aftermath of a disaster.
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, CERT teams 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 professional response, CERT members can assist others by applying the basic response and organizational skills that they learn 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 opportunities offered by the sponsoring agency, and others that further their skills base. Finally, CERT members can volunteer for projects that improve community emergency preparedness.
About a CERT Course?
The Community Emergency Response Team course consists of approximately 20 hours of training. Classes are taught by trained personnel from your community.
The course agenda includes:
Class 1 ORIENTATION AND REGISTRATION (Location TBA)
Class 2, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Class 3 DISASTER FIRE SUPPRESSION
Class 4 DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS, PART 1
Class 5 DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS, PART 2
Class 6 LIGHT SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS
Class 7 PRE-STORM CERT OPERATIONS
Class 8 FINAL GROUP EXERCISE AND GRADUATION
What happens next?
Individuals who successfully complete the CERT training will become members of the Community Emergency Response Team. This team, when called upon, will assist local emergency response agencies with local disasters, emergency responses and assist in educating the public in emergency preparedness. Some of the activities CERT members may be involved with:
Local disasters
Door-to-Door wellbeing checks
Traffic control
Weather watches
Civilian relocation / sheltering
Public Education, Fairs & Festivals
Disaster preparedness
CERT members will be encouraged to attend additional monthly training. The training will consist of, but not limited to the following:
Severe storm watching
Severe winter operations
Basic firefighting (Fire Extinguishers)
Hazardous Materials awareness
Incident Command procedures
Emergency Operations Center procedures
Emergency Management
Basic search & rescue
Highly motivated CERT members will be eligible to join the ranks of the Wauconda Emergency Management Agency. The Wauconda EMA is a volunteer organization that is responsible for preparation and management of disasters in the community.
Don’t be afraid…. Be prepared.
Get involved in your community today…
Printable CERT Flyer Registration Form Additional Information
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