Reminiscent of the W.W.II era Civil Defense, the C.E.R.T. Community Emergency Response Team was developed and implemented by the City of Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985. They recognized that citizens would very likely be on their own during the early stages of a disaster and that with some basic training in disaster survival and rescue skills, they would be better able to survive and help others until responders or other assistance could arrive.

The CERT training program gives citizens understanding about their responsibility in preparing for disaster. It also increases their ability to safely help themselves, their family and their neighbors and their City.

The CERT course will benefit any citizen who takes it. This individual will be better prepared to respond to and cope with the aftermath of a disaster. Additionally, if a community wants to supplement its response capability after a disaster, civilians can be recruited and trained as neighborhood, business, and government teams that, in essence, will be auxiliary responders. These groups can provide immediate assistance to victims in their area, organize spontaneous volunteers who have not had the training, and collect disaster intelligence that will assist professional responders with prioritization and allocation of resources following a disaster.

Baltimore City is continuously recruiting members and teams from all neighborhoods!  Click on CERT TEAMS to see if your community is prepared!

TOMORROW IS TOO LATE TO START PREPARING FOR A DISASTER!
 BECOME C.E.R.T TRAINED TODAY!