CERT Program Adults / Teens

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), using the model created by the Los Angeles City Fire Department, began promoting nationwide use of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept in 1994. Since then, CERTs have been established in hundreds of communities.

EMSS 715 - Community Emergency Response Team Training

CERT is a series of classes held at the Wildwood Campus of St. Louis Community College that prepares the participant to help themself, their family, coworkers, and neighbors in the event of a crisis in their community. Through this interesting eight-week series of classes, participants learn about emergency preparedness and receive training in basic response skills such as;

  • Disaster Medical Operations
  • Disaster Preparedness
  • Disaster Psychology
  • Fire Safety
  • Light Search and Rescue
  • Team Organization
  • Terrorism

Once participants have completed the eight classes they will conclude with a full-scale disaster exercise (off-campus) that will put what they have learned to work in a real-life tornado simulation. Once complete the participant will be able to join a local St. Louis Area CERT program to continue supporting helping in times where volunteers are needed.

Registration

Call St. Louis Community College at 314-984-7777 to sign up. Classes are typically held in the Spring and Fall each year.

CERT’s Goal

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. 

Skills

These skills can help save and sustain lives following a disaster until help arrives. CERT skills also apply to daily emergencies. CERT members maintain and refine their skills by participating in exercises and activities. They can attend supplemental training opportunities offered by the sponsoring agency and others that further their skills base. Finally, CERT members can volunteer for projects that improve community emergency preparedness. 

Target Audience CERT’s target audience includes:

  • Amateur Radio Emergency Services
  • Businesses
  • Clubs/organizations
  • Communities of faith
  • Neighborhoods
  • School staff/students
  • Scouting organizations

Training

CERT Training sessions are designed to cover the following:

  • Disaster Medical Operations - Assessment, treatment and hygiene
  • Disaster Medical Operations - Triage and treating life threatening injuries
  • Disaster preparedness
  • Disaster psychology
  • Final exercise
  • Fire safety
  • Light search and rescue
  • Team organization
  • Terrorism and CERT

Get in Contact

There are seven sessions each lasting about 2 1/2  hours and one practical exercise on a Saturday and lasts about 6 hours. For more information about CERT teams, please visit the FEMA website. To obtain more information about CERT in the City of Eureka call Chief Michael Wiegand at Eureka Police Department  636-938-6600.