The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and first aid.
During the first few hours or days after a disaster strikes, emergency services may be overwhelmed leaving families, neighborhoods, and businesses on their own for hours or days.
Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help; CERT members are also encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.