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CERT Volunteers aim to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people



ICPD- Individual and Community and Community Preparedness Division

The National Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program trains volunteers to prepare for the types of disasters that their community may face. Through hands-on practice and realistic exercises, CERT Volunteers:



  • Learn how to safely respond to man-made and natural hazards;
  • Help organize basic disaster response; and
  • Promote preparedness within their communities.

Responding to Emergencies

Since 1986, more than

600,000

individuals have completed CERT Training



Specialized Cert Programs

• Campus
• CERT Teen
• CERT Workplace


Members Learn

• Light Search and Rescue
• Disaster Medical Operations
• Fire Safety and Utility
• Leadership in disasters
• Traffic and crowd management

No. of CERTs

  • 1-25
  • 26-50
  • 51-100
  • 101-200
  • 201-350

Our volunteers come from all backgrounds and experience levels. If you are interested in working with CERT we would love to have you!

CERT and the National Qualification System

The National Qualification System (NQS) is a collection of documents that describe the minimum criteria for responder qualifications. It was developed to create consistency for responders when working on incidents, including outside their home area. FEMA is developing Job Tile/Position Qualifications and Position Task Books for three key CERT positions: CERT Volunteer, CERT Section Chief, and CERT Team Leader. These documents cement CERT in the National Response Framework. It is not mandatory for CERTs to participate in NQS, but will be encouraged to be consistent with the National Incident Management System.


These documents can be found on the Resource Typing Library Tool:

https://rtlt.preptoolkit.fema.gov/Public

once published.


Nationwide, there are more than 2,800+ local CERTs.
CERT Volunteers build preparedness by organizing their communities before
disasters.

There is a role for everyone in CERT.
Speak with your local CERT Program Manager to learn how to get involved

Prepared to Act

CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, which allows them to focus on more complex tasks.

Trainings and Tools

Online and in-person courses, as well as other local training activities, help CERT Volunteers to be ready when disaster strikes.

Full Courses

IS-317-Introduction to CERT (Online):
An independent study course that serves as an introduction to CERT.



CERT Basic Training Course:
Delivered in the community by a team of first responders and other qualified volunteers, this course is the foundation of the program.



Program Manager:
New CERT leaders learn how to start, develop, and sustain local CERTs.

Additional Resources

Hazard-Specific Training

Additional training modules allow communities to provide more in-depth training on the hazards they are most likely to face.

Inclusive Training

Accommodations to make CERT training accessible for people with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.

Specialized Modules

CERT Volunteers build robust skill sets through trainings on advanced topics such as emergency communication sand animal response.

Community-Based Trainings

Many CERT training materials and program management tools are available free of charge.

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