The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for 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.   Learn how to protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community.  

Over the course of the CERT program, you will learn the most up-to-date information through hands-on training in basic disaster preparedness, use of a fire extinguisher, disaster medical care, first aid training, search, and rescue techniques,  and neighborhood team building. Participants of the program will learn lifesaving skills, rescuer safety, and doing the greatest good for the greatest number.

Community Emergency Response Team In Action Video 

The course will be taught every other Saturday over six weeks.  Each will be a full day from 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM with a break for lunch.  You must attend all sessions in order to graduate.  

    Saturday, August 12       - Disaster Preparedness (Unit 1)
                                               - CERT Organization (Unit 2)
                                               - Disaster Medical Operations (Units 3-4)

    Saturday, August 26       - CERT Basic Communications

                                                 
    Saturday, September 9             - Light Search and Rescue (Unit 7)
                                                - Terrorism and Hazardous Materials Safety (Unit 8)
                                                - Course Review & Final Exam (Unit 9)
                                                - Disaster Simulation / Exercise

All sessions will be taught at Menlo Park Fire District's facility located at 2470 Pulgas Avenue in East Palo Alto.  The address and additional information will be sent to registered participants prior to the class.

Though not required, you may want to download a copy of the CERT manual by clicking this link.

Free to those who live or work in Atherton, East Palo Alto, and Menlo Park age 18 years- old and over.

Since we will be working in close proximity to each other, masks are encouraged, but not required.

We will be limiting the class size to no more than 32 students.