Community Emergency Response Team Program (CERT)

The Emergency Preparedness Division Provides a Community and Family Preparedness Program with the support of State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

Preparedness is everyone's job. Not just government agencies but all sectors of society - service providers, business, civic and volunteer groups, industry associations, as well as every individual citizen - should plan ahead for disaster. During the first few hours or days following a disaster, essential services may not be available. People must be ready to act on their own.

Community Emergency Response Training gives both theoretical and practical experiences that will prepare you, your family and your neighbors to better cope with a disastrous situation. Neighbors helping each other can make a big difference.

Experience is proven that the first three days after a disaster are critical. That is also the time when emergency services may be unavailable. By teaching the basics of emergency preparedness, disaster medicine and light search and rescue, the Independence Fire Department hopes to empower individuals to feel confident enough to take control of an emergency and do what is best for their families and immediate neighborhood.

The CERT training is organized into six weekly sessions of three hours each.

All instructors are highly trained and experienced individuals, dedicated to providing a level of training that will prepare CERT members to help themselves, their families and neighbors in times of disaster.

Following is a brief description of the CERT classes and some skills that will be taught:

• MODULE ONE
  Disaster Preparedness:
  Introduction to types of disasters and the role of CERTs in a disaster.
  
  
• MODULE TWO
  Disaster Fire Suppression:
  Basic fire suppression strategy, fire fighting resources and fire fighting techniques.
  
  
• MODULE THREE
  Disaster Medical Operations:
  Treatment techniques for life threatening conditions, principles of triage, establishing treatment areas, and more.
  
  
• MODULE FOUR
  Light Search and Rescue Operations:
  Search and rescue priorities, size-up strategies, and rescuer safety.
  
  
• MODULE FIVE
  Disaster Psychology and Team Organization:
  The post-disaster emotional environment, the CERT organization and decision making.
  
  

A certificate is issued to each individual following completion of the program.

CERT Mission Statement
Beginning with ourselves, we will be prepared.
We will work as an individual or together as emergency response teams to assist our families and neighbors in time of disaster and to be prepared to make decisions that do the most good for the most people.

For more information please contact the Emergency Preparedness Division at 816.325.7167.

The text on this page is in the public domain. We request that attribution to this information be given as follows: From "C.E.R.T. Community Emergency Response Team Program." developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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