C.E.R.T.

Community Emergency Response Team

 

  Brookings CERT Member Page 

An information page for our CERT members.

 

For information about CERT, contact;

Dave Swisher at 605-692-5212 or by e-mail at dswisher@brookingscountysd.gov

 

Pre-registration for training is requested!!

Registration Form

(can be filled out before printing)

(PDF file, will open in a new window)

 

Click here to see some pictures from a recent CERT class.

 

 

 

If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it free of charge by clicking on the Adobe icon to the right.

 

Click here for pictures of past classes in action

If you are interested in participating in our next CERT training session please contact Dave Swisher at the Brookings County Emergency Management Office at 605-692-5212 or by email at bcem@brookingscountysd.gov

? What Is CERT ?

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program that helps educate citizens about hazards they may face and trains them in lifesaving skills so that they are better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their community.

The CERT course is taught by a team of first responders.  The basic CERT training program is a 20 hour course addressing; Disaster Preparedness, Team Organization and Disaster Psychology, Medical Operations, Damage Assessment, Disaster Simulation, Fire Suppression, and Light Search and Rescue.

CERT members will also be trained to:

  • Conduct an initial size-up in their homes and workplaces.

  • Reduce immediate dangers by turning off utilities, suppressing small fires, evacuating the area and helping others.

  • Provide immediate assistance to victims in the area.

  • Organize spontaneous volunteers.

Besides disaster response CERTs can:

  • Assist with evacuation and traffic control.

  • Promote community awareness of potential hazards and preparedness measures.

  • Distribute and/or install smoke alarms and batteries to the elderly and disabled.

  • Supplement staffing at special events.

  • Act as victims in training exercises.

 

***Independent Study CERT Course from FEMA***

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is now offering a course entitled "Introduction to Community Emergency Response Team" (IS 317).

 

The course can be taken by anyone interested in CERT, but those who are actual CERT volunteers will need to take the in-person training offered by the local emergency response agencies.

 

IS 317 contains six modules with topics that include an introduction to CERT, fire safety, hazardous material and terrorist incidents, disaster medical operations, and search and rescue. It takes between six and eight hours to complete the course; those successfully finishing it receive a certification of completion.

 

You can access IS 317 by clicking this link;

www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/is317.asp -(A New Window Will Open)

 

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