Welcome to Utah Community Emergency Response Team

About the CERT Program

During his 202 State of the Union Address, President Bush asked Americans to volunteer their services in order to improve and safeguard their country. Harnessing thespirit of cooperation that developed as a result of the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 he created the Citizen Corps program to organize volunteer services in the areas of crime, natural disasters and terrorism. The Community Emergency Response Team (or CERT) is a part of the Citizen Corps program.

CERT - Then and Now

The CERT concept dates back to 1985, when the Los Angeles Fire Department recognized that in the early stages of a disaster - earthquakes in particular - local emergency responders would be overwhelmed, and basic training in disaster survival and rescue skills would improve the ability of community members to survive until responders or other assistance arrived.

Recognizing the universal value of this program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) worked in conjunction with the LAFD to make the CERT program applicable to all types of hazards and developed a CERT training program which could be used nationwide and adapted to meet local conditions when the need arose.

The tragic events of September 11th remind us that disaster can strike anywhere or anytime, and that basic safety and disaster survival skills can mean the difference between life and death. CERT training empowers community members to prepare responsibly and respond appropriately when emergencies occur.

What do CERT members do?

First and foremost, individuals trained in CERT are better able to respond to the needs of themselves and their family members in times of emergency or disaster. Next, members are able to reach out to their neighbors - every citizen should be a member of their neighborhood watch group - and every neighborhood watch group should have trained CERT members. The role of a CERT volunteer is to help others until trained emergency personnel arrive.

Some communities, under the direction of local emergency responders, train CERT members to be part of CERT teams to help provide critical support by giving immediate assistance to victims, providing damage assessment information, and organizing other volunteers at a disaster site.  Volunteers trained in CERT may also offer a potential workforce for performing duties such as shelter support, crowd control, and evacuation. 

CERT teams may also help the community year-round by helping with community emergency plans, neighborhood exercises, preparedness outreach, fire safety education, and workplace safety. In addition to supporting emergency responders during a disaster, the CERT program builds strong working relationships between emergency responders and the people they serve. 

Citizen Corps and CERT

After training, CERT members should affiliate with one of the other Citizen Corps programs, i.e., Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers In Police Service (VIPS), Fire Corp or Medical Reserve Corps (MRC).  In this way, the CERT training can pay dividends in preparation for emergencies and residents can be involved in day-to-day volunteer service and the security of their communities.

	An expanded Neighborhood Watch Program incorporates terrorism awareness education into its existing crime prevention mission while also serving as a way to bring residents together to focus on emergency preparedness and emergency response training. For information on the Neighborhood Watch Toolkit and Toolkit training, go to www.usaonwatch.org/Resources/ToolkitTraining.php
	Volunteers In Police Service (VIPS) works to enhance the capacity of state and local law enforcement to utilize volunteers. VIPS draws on the time and considerable talents of civilian volunteers and allows law enforcement professionals to better perform their frontline duties. For registered VIPS programs in your area click here.
	Fire Corps promotes the use of citizen advocates to enhance the capacity of resource-constrained fire and rescue departments at all levels: volunteer, combination, and career. Citizen advocates can assist local fire departments in a range of activities including fire safety outreach, youth programs, and administrative support. Fire Corps provides resources to assist fire and rescue departments in creating opportunities for citizen advocates and promotes citizen participation. For registered Fire Corps programs in your area click here.
	The mission of the Medical Reserve Corps is to establish teams of local volunteer medical and public health professionals who can contribute their skills and expertise throughout the year as well as during times of community need. For registered MRC programs in your area click here.