The Community Emergency Response Team, also known as CERT, is a program that is being rolled out across the country to assist with disaster preparedness and response. If you are interested in volunteering and making a difference in your hometown, it is important that you learn about the history of the program and what you can do to participate. Read this guide to learn about the program and how to find a team in your area.
The History of the CERT Program
In 1985, the Los Angeles City Fire Department was responsible for developing and implementing the first program to train civilians to help with disaster response after a major disaster. After the training program helped increase the safety of members within the community that the team served, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, more commonly known as FEMA, recognized the importance of involving the community and offering training to cope with the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Types of Training Offered to Volunteers through the Program
The Emergency Management Institute, which is a part of FEMA, has created a thorough training program that prepares citizens to respond to all types of hazards. The participants who take a program will learn how to suppress fires, mount a search and rescue operation, administer basic medical treatment at a disaster site and more. The training will also prepare volunteers to help with non-emergency safety projects that can reduce crime and help protect the community.
How to Sign Up For and Complete Emergency Preparedness Training
If you are interested in training, you will need to decide how you want to study the curriculum. The most popular way to cover the basic program curriculum is to take an Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams IS-317 independent study course. This introduction courses has 6 modules that include: Fire Safety, Hazardous Materials, Terrorist Acts, Disaster Medical Operations, and Rescue.
It takes about 8 hours to complete the online basic certificate course. After you have completed this course, you will receive a certificate of completion. While the online introduction classes can save you time, you must still complete onsite training at a government site before you will be eligible to volunteer through the program. There are also other training opportunities where you can develop skills to become a trainer or a program manager.
How to Find Volunteer Opportunities
If you are interested in training and finding a local opportunity to volunteer, you can find programs by referencing a directory of programs by state. Once you have your certification and you have completed classroom training, you can get volunteer experience that is not only fulfilling, but even helpful on your resume.
While there are fire and police departments in every community, sometimes disaster strikes and it takes more than just the government resources. If you would like to work in emergency management in the future or you simply want to be an involved member of your community equipped with skills to save lives, training with the EMI is the answer. Add volunteer experience to your resume and become part of a Community Emergency Response Team by completing CERT online training and classroom training in emergency response.