Some buildings with fire damage.

Community Emergency Response Team

Lafayette, TN., February 8, 2008 -- The State/FEMA Preliminary Damage Assessment Team is talking with this homeowner about damage they received from the recent tornado. FEMA PDA Inspector Matt Sackwitz(right), State PDA Inspector Richard Taylor(center) and SBA Inspector Dennis Ayers will compile data to determine an estimate of cost to recover from this disaster. George Armstrong/FEMACERT: Community Emergency Response Team
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 disaster medical operations.

You Are the Help Until Help Arrives
Learn more about how volunteers can provide critical care when life-threatening emergencies arise.  You will find links to documents and videos that can help you decide if this role is right for you.

Community Emergency Response Team on Wikipedia
Read about the CERT organization, member roles, training course core curriculum and how they work within the federal emergency programs.

Community Toolkits by Ready.gov (opens new window)
Ready.gov has made it a priority to support and expand the impact of volunteers who have stepped up to be a part of the solution. They support volunteers by supplying toolkits for grassroots efforts and providing training through Citizen Corps.  Find a great set of toolkit solutions for your community, preparing pets, and for first responders.

Video: CERT Community Emergency Response Team

Excerpts from a CERT Training Video on why and how community members can prepare for emergencies.