Community Safety and Business Continuity Planning
CERT: The Community Emergency Response Team
A positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens will initially be on their own and their actions can make a difference.
What You Will Learn:
Disaster Preparedness:
Local hazards; actions to take before, during and after a disaster; CERT concept/organization.
Disaster Fire Suppression:
Safe use of extinguishers, sizing up a situation, controlling utilities, and extinguishing a live fire.
Disaster Medical:
Diagnosing and treating airway obstructions, bleeding and shock; evaluating patients; establishing a medical treatment area; basic first aid; and sanitation.
Light Search and Rescue:
Search and Rescue planning, size-up, search techniques, rescue techniques, and rescuer safety.
Disaster Psychology and Team Organization:
Signs and symptoms experienced by the disaster victim and worker, CERT organization and
management principles, and documentation.
Course Review and Disaster Simulation Exercises:
Hands on exercises to practice skills.
Who Should Enroll?
Disaster Preparedness Training for Citizens
Following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services may not be
able to meet the heavy demand for these services. People will have to rely on each other for help in order to meet their immediate life-saving and life sustaining needs. Through training, citizens can:
1. Prepare themselves and their families to be selfsufficient for a minimum of 72 hours (3 days);
2. Organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers, to effectively respond to a disaster; and
3. Manage utilities, put out small fires, and provide basic medical aid.
The Community Emergency Response Team:
CERT is a grass-roots effort to empower individuals, organizations, and communities about disaster preparedness and the the hazards that may impact them. Training is provided in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety and suppression, light search and rescue, incident
command team organization, and disaster medical operations. Team members can assist other neighborhoods or workplaces in the event professional responders are not immediately available.