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When emergencies happen, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site.
CERT training includes disaster preparedness, disaster fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, and light search and rescue.
Have you ever asked the question, “How can I help my community during an emergency?”
If you would like to learn lifesaving skills such as first aid, lite search & rescue or disaster recovery, the CERT program is an excellent fit. It helps train people how to best respond and prepare for emergency situations in their communities.
The CERT program offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.The Community Emergency Response Team CERT program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may occur where they live.CERT trains volunteers in basic disaster response skills, such as:
• Fire safety
• Light search and rescue
• Team organization
• Disaster medical operations
Drills and Exercises
Drills are excellent opportunities for CERT programs to practice, assess and improve emergency response plans and on-the-ground operations while engaging their volunteers and refreshing the concepts and skills learned in CERT training.
These exercises were developed according to national guidance and principles outlined by the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program. It is important that CERT programs tailor their exercises to reflect realistic events that may impact their community to practice skills they need to test or practice most.
The CERT Liability Guide is offered for general informational purposes only, and is intended to educate CERT program managers, volunteers, sponsoring agencies, and legal advisors about liability and risk management.
History of CERT
The CERT concept was developed and implemented by the Los Angeles City Fire Department in 1985. The Whittier Narrows earthquake in 1987 underscored the area-wide threat of a major disaster in California. Further, it confirmed the need for training civilians to meet their immediate needs.CERT became a national program in 1993.
There are now CERT programs in all 50 states, including many tribal nations and U.S. territories. Each is unique to its community and all are essential to building a Culture of Preparedness in the United States. There are more than 3,200 local CERT programs nationwide and more than 600,000 people have trained since CERT became a national program.
Schedule
Date: April 1 – May 27, 2025 (Tuesdays)
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
Location
Fire Station #2 Upstairs Classroom
600 11th Street South
Birmingham, AL 3523
Questions?
Email: pubed@birminghamal.gov
Phone: (205) 254-6560
