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Community Emergency Response Team

Overview

Following the events of September 11, 2001, Citizen Corps was launched as a grassroots strategy to strengthen community safety and preparedness through increased civic education, training, and involvement of the community. Citizen Corps is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), within the Department of Homeland Security and is implemented locally through programs such as the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).

Local CERTs provide an opportunity for partnerships between government and community leaders to focus on the following objectives:

  • For CERT members to be trained in basic emergency preparedness and response in order to better serve their families, neighbors and coworkers in times of crisis.
  • Provide local Office of Emergency Management (OEM) officials an adjunct emergency and disaster response option in times of extended or severe crisis.
  • Provide outreach and preparedness education and training to the community.
  • Expand basic skills through ongoing training and drills.
  • Provide non-emergency community event support as a way to practice basic skills while being a conduit for emergency communications.
  • Community based preparedness planning allows us all to prepare for and respond to anticipated disruptions and potential hazards following a disaster. As individual CERT members, we can prepare our homes and families to cope during that critical post disaster period.
  • Deploying the CERT during or after a crisis can enhance the ability of individuals and neighborhoods to reduce their emergency needs and to manage their existing resources until professional assistance becomes available.

CERT training is typically given in the spring and again in the fall and is completely free of charge. The course runs approximately 20 hours, each class about 2-3 hours a week. Please email for course details. We’re always looking for new members and are available to answer any questions. Please feel free to reach out via allendalecertcoordinator@gmail.com.