Following a major disaster, fire, police and other first responders may not be able to immediately reach all who need help. The CERT program prepares people to respond to emergencies in their communities. CERT training promotes a partnership between emergency services and the people they serve.
Emergency personnel train individuals, neighborhoods,comminity organizations or workplaces in basic response skills. If a disastrous event overwhelms or delays a community's professional response, CERT members can apply their training to give critical support to their family, loved ones, neighbors, or associates until professional help arrives.