Training Opportunities

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the 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.

Local Trainings

The Yachats Emergency Preparedness Committee is working with CERT Team trainers in Newport and Waldport to set up trainings for Yachats residents and visitors. Training sessions will be advertised on the City’s website and in the City Newsletter.

What CERT Volunteers Do

The CERT program was designed as a grassroots initiative and specifically structured so that the local and state program managers have the flexibility to form their programs in the way that best suits their communities. CERT volunteers are trained to respond safely, responsibly, and effectively to emergency situations, but they can also support their communities during non-emergency events as well. There are over 2,700 local CERT programs nationwide, with more than 600,000 individuals trained since CERT became a national program.

The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Community Emergency Response Team Program trains volunteers to prepare for the types of disasters that their community may face. Through hands-on practice and realistic exercises, CERT members:

• Learn how to safely respond to manmade and natural hazards
• Help organize basic disaster response
• Promote preparedness by hosting and participating in community events