The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program helps train people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community.

People who go through CERT training have a better understanding of the potential threats to their home, workplace and community and can take the right steps to lessen the effects of these hazards on themselves, their homes or workplace. If a disaster happens that overwhelms local response capability, CERT members can apply the training learned in the classroom and during exercises to give critical support to their family, loved ones, neighbors or associates in their immediate area until help arrives. When help does arrive, CERTs provide useful information to responders and support their efforts, as directed, at the disaster site. CERT members can also assist with non-emergency projects that improve the safety of the community. CERTs have been used to distribute and/or install smoke alarms, replace smoke alarm batteries in the home of elderly, distribute disaster education material, provide services at special events, such as parades, sporting events, concerts and more.

Locally, CERT Team members have participated in the Tamaqua Elm Street Project, assisting in the development of a Crime Watch Program. Information regarding the local level CERT Training Program is available in this "Give Back to Your Community" document.

CERT Teams are a local level Citizen's Corps Council program. The mission of Citizen Corps is to harness the power of every individual through education, training, and volunteer service to make communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to the threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues, and disasters of all kinds. The Schuylkill County Citizen Corps Council, currently with 14 members, was formed on September 17, 2003. Please contact Council Chairperson Mary Minning, Emergency Preparedness Specialist, at (570) 622-9550, if you or your organization is interested in participating on this council

Additional information on Citizen's Corps and CERT Programs may be found on-line at the following sites.

• Emergency Management Institute - Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Citizen's Corps: Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)