CERT Training and Community Emergency Response
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program was developed by the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985 following earthquake preparedness studies. FEMA nationalized it in 1993. CERT is a free, FEMA-sponsored 20–24 hour training program teaching civilians to assist professional responders in the hours following a disaster — the critical window when EMS, fire, and police are overwhelmed and cannot reach everyone. CERT curriculum covers: disaster preparedness, fire safety and suppression, medical operations (triage, SALT system — Sort, Assess, Lifesaving interventions, Treatment/Transport), light search and rescue (cribbing, debris removal, victim extraction), psychology of disasters and team organization. The START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) and SALT triage systems categorize mass casualty patients in under 30 seconds: immediate (red — life-threatening but survivable), delayed (yellow — serious but stable), minimal (green — minor), and expectant (black — fatal or near-fatal). CERT teams are activated by local emergency managers during declared disasters and assist at shelter operations, disaster welfare inquiry, and debris clearing. To enroll: search 'CERT training [your city/county]' or visit ready.gov/cert. Most cities run CERT programs quarterly and maintain active community teams. After initial certification, CERT members should participate in annual refreshers and community exercises. CERT also runs neighborhood preparedness programs that build the interpersonal connections between neighbors that are essential for community-level resilience.