The Riverside County Fire Department/Office of Emergency Services (OES) is
preparing communities for emergencies. Following a major disaster, first responders who provide
fire and medical assistance will not be able to immediately meet all of the demands for their
services. The
Community Emergency
Response Team (CERT) Program provides for community self-sufficiency in order to meet the
general public's urgent life saving and sustenance needs until emergency personnel arrive. The
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness and
trains them in basic response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster
medial operations. Using their training, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or
workplace following an event and can take a more active role in preparing their community.
Riverside County Program participants will receive a CERT Kit. These kits contain a green
Riverside County CERT labeled backpack, green CERT labeled safety helmet, green CERT labeled vest
along with other items to start buildin a response kit. Participant will also receive a training
manual and official Certificate of Completion.
There are currently Fourteen (14) jurisdictions supporting CERT Programs within the County. They
are: Riverside County,
City of
Beaumont,
City of Corona,
City
of Hemet, City of Indio,
City
of La Quinta, City of Lake Elsinore,
City of Moreno Valley,
City of Murrieta,
City of Palm
Springs,
City of Perris,
City of Riverside,
City
of Temecula, and Idyllwild. Citizen Corps Councils have been established in the City of
Temecula, City of Lake Elsinore and in the Jurupa Valley.
CERT TRAINING:
The CERT training is usually delivered over 3 consecutive days. The class time commitment
is a total of 20 hours. The training consists of the following:
Module I, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: Addresses hazards to which people are vulnerable
in their community. Materials cover actions that participants and their families take before,
during, and after a disaster.
Module II, DISASTER FIRE SUPPRESSION: Briefly covers fire chemistry, hazardous
materials, fire hazards, and fire suppression strategies; the safe use of fire extinguishers,
sizing up the situation, controlling utilities, and extinguishing a small fire.
Module III, DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS PART I: Participants practice diagnosing
and treating airway obstruction, bleeding, and shock by using simple triage and rapid treatment
techniques.
Module IV, DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS, PART II: Covers evaluating patients by
doing a head to toe assessment, establishing a medical treatment area, performing basic first aid,
and practicing in a safe and sanitary manner.
Module V, LIGHT SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS: Participants learn about search and
rescue planning, size-up, search techniques, rescue techniques, and most important, rescuer safety.
Module VI, DISASTER PSYCHOLOGY AND TEAM ORGANIZATION: Covers signs and symptoms
that might be experienced by the disaster victim and worker. It addresses CERT organization and
management principles and the need for documentation.
Module VII, COURSE REVIEW AND DISASTER SIMULATION: Participants review and
practice the skills that they have learned during the previous six modules.
For additional or updated information about the Riverside County Cert Program contact:
Riverside County Fire Department Office of Emergency Services at:
951.955.4700