Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, began in 1985 with the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD) to train citizens in basic disaster preparedness and response skills to help themselves and their communities until professional responders arrive. Influenced by observations of an earthquake in Japan and the Mexico City earthquake, the program was officially formalized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in 1993 and has since expanded nationwide and internationally.

CERT training promotes a partnering effort between emergency services and the people that they serve. The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations, or workplaces in basic response skills. CERT members are then integrated into the emergency response capability for their area. 

If a disastrous event overwhelms or delays the community’s professional response, CERT members can assist others by applying the basic response and organizational skills that they learned during training. These skills can help save and sustain lives following a disaster until help arrives.