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SONOMA COUNTY CERT

SONOMA OP AREA
COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM

 

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The Sonoma County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is designed to prepare you to help yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of a catastrophic disaster such as earthquake, flood, fire or other widespread event that affects our area, when emergency services are not available to provide for immediate assistance.

The basic CERT training is provided through a combination of classroom work and exercises, practicing the skills and theories learned in class lectures and discussions. CERT Classes are usually provided over a period of 4 or more weeks. The 20 to 27 hours, of training, depending on the specific classes available from your local CERT Program, includes: Disaster Preparedness; Fire Safety, which includes use of a fire extinguisher; two classes in Medical Operations - one of which covers life saving and triage and the other, the practical use of dressings, bandages, splints and other traumatic injury care; Light Search & Rescue; CERT Organization, including team management; Disaster Psychology; and a Final Exercise of a simulated disaster scenario. Some CERT groups also may include a class on Terrorism and how CERT members can respond to a terrorism incident. In Addition, some CERT groups also cover HAM radio use and provide access to becoming licensed HAM radio operators.

 
Carrying victim (CERT Challenge 2007)

After completion of the basic training and Program graduation, CERT members can often join with others in their neighborhoods or workplaces to form teams capable to respond to a disaster when professional first responders are not immediately available to help. CERT teams learn to be creative and observant, to make the most of available resources and people in increasing everyone's ability to make it through a disaster until the arrival of emergency services and aid, whether that period lasts 3 days or 3 weeks or more.

CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community. Examples include obtaining a ham radio license and radio training, to assisting in communications during local and regional emergencies, seeking advanced first aid and CPR training through the Red Cross or other agency providing support training to CERT members, and by becoming a member of a Volunteer Fire Corps unit which is available through several Sonoma County Fire departments or districts.

To reinforce the basic skill set and learn obtain more advanced training, the Sonoma CERT Coordinating Committee, made up of agency coordinators and representatives from the Sonoma County Cities, the County of Sonoma, the Sonoma County Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the Sonoma County Volunteer Center, will be producing opportunities for practical and leadership training throughout the year.

 
Suppressing fires with found materials (CERT Challenge 2007)

Interested in learning more?

Check our Events page for information on upcoming informational meetings, and contact the CERT coordinator in your area.

CERT Los Angeles has developed a short video introduction and overview of CERT.

 

 

Last updated: March 4, 2008
Contact Sonoma County CERT
Page: www.sonomacert.com/index.html