Community Emergency Response Training

Next CERT Series Starts March 7th -- classes are already filled up! We cannot add anymore people to our waiting list.

The next Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) series is set to begin on Wednesday, March 7, 2012. Our next sessions will not begin until sometime in the Fall.

Did you miss signing up for this session? Please check the Ventura County Cert website to see if there are other classes you can attend. You can visit their website here.

When Disaster Strikes, Be Prepared to Help!

The City of Ventura is pleased to reinstate the Community Emergency Response Training (CERT), a free program to educate community members about disaster preparedness, and provide training in basic disaster response skills and disaster medical operations. Ventura was the first city in the County to initiate this course in the 1990's. Now grant funding is available to bring back this valuable curriculum.

What is CERT?

CERT is a program of Citizen Corps, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's approach to involve citizens in emergency preparedness, and is funded through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The function of CERT is to assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following a major disaster when professional responders are not immediately available to meet the demand for service. After the training, CERT students will be better prepared to take care of themselves and their community.

CERT students will receive approximately 20 hours of hands-on training from professionals in emergency management, and will receive training in:

Disaster/emergency preparedness
Fire safety and suppression
Disaster medical (treatment and triage evaluation)
Light search and rescue
Organizing/managing a CERT team
Disaster psychology
Terrorism and CERT

A disaster simulation drill is conducted during the last class. Additional training opportunities are available with continuing education programs, including periodic refresher drills. Graduates receive a starter kit and a certificate verifying their training.

Who can attend CERT?

Ventura residents of all abilities are welcome to attend; training is free of charge to citizens 18 years of age or older. School staff, workpace employees, scouting organizations and other groups that are committed to serve our community are encouraged to sign-up and assist their neighbors during emergencies or disaster situations.

How do I sign up for CERT?

If you are interested in attending CERT please contact Heidi Caldwell at hcaldwell@cityofventura.net or call (805) 658-4717 to reserve your spot for this valuable training. (We are filled up for this session of CERT -- next session will start in Fall 2012).

When and where is the training?

Classes are held twice a year, one in the spring and one in the fall. If you are unable to attend all the classes you may sit in on a training session at a different location; please check the Ventura County Fire Department CERT Program website at http://fire.countyofventura.org/cert or call (805) 389-9710.

For more information visit www.citizencorps.gov/cert/. An independent study course, "Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams", IS-317, is also available and serves as an introduction to CERT for those wanting to complete training or as a refresher for current team members at http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/training_mat.shtm