Kansas Division of Emergency Management

After a disaster, first responders and other government service providers are overwhelmed. Public services cannot be delivered everywhere that help is needed. Experience has shown that in a disaster setting ordinary citizens make over 80% of successful rescues as they respond to the emergency in their community. However, many untrained volunteer rescuers may actually cause harm or become injured in the process.

A Community Emergency Response Team is a ready force of organized and trained volunteer disaster workers that operates at the neighborhood level. They are prepared to be self-sustaining for three days following a large disaster.

When disaster strikes, CERT volunteers spring into action: they check on neighbors, suppress small fires, conduct light urban search and rescue, and provide emergency medical aid and psychological comfort to their neighbors.

In the post-diaster environment, CERT members organize and direct spontaneous volunteers who offer to assist in the community during the crisis. CERTs may also be called upon to help in other areas during emergencies even when their own neighborhood is not impacted.

The CERT Program prepares these volunteers with 20 hours of classroom and hands-on training. The training is provided by volunteer "subject matter" experts such as firefighters, EMTs, and building safety personnel.

State of Kansas maintains a list of state-approved CERT Trainers. Classes are offered by various agencies throughout the State of Kansas. It is best to go through the CERT program as a neighborhood team. You can educate yourself and your neighbors about disaster preparedness prior to the course. Then see if you can get friends from school, church, or other neighborhood groups to join you in class as a team!

Let's Break It Down...

• A "CERT" is a group of people that is organized and receives special training that enhances their ability to recognize, respond to, and recover from a major emergency or disaster situation.
• The CERT is organized under the leadership of the local jurisdiction.
• They are trained by emergency responders and emergency management personnel in areas that will help them take care of themselves and others before, during, and after a major emergency.
• As an organized team, they can provide vital services in the absence of emergency responders, whose arrival may be delayed due to the scope of the event.
• When a major emergency overwhelms normally available resources, response delay of hours or even days may occur; someone with "basic skills training" should be able to immediately assist those in distress.

Is It Practical To Train People For Disasters?

• Disaster is typically considered an event that causes injury, loss of life, and widespread damage. Local resources will be overwhelmed in the event of a disaster.
• In our daily lives, citizens unable to help others represents a resource that is "overwhelmed" and basically becomes a "Disaster" on a personal level.
  • Not knowing how to help someone injured on-the-job, or on the scene of an auto accident, or pedestrian hit by a vehicle.
  • Not being able to identify or treat severe bleeding, broken bones and other minor injuries.
  • Not sure what and how to help someone who has an airway problem.
• People trained through the FEMA course should be able to take care of themselves in the event of any emergency and be able to advise responders of the steps that have already been taken.