Becoming A West Hartford Emergency Volunteer, What You Need To Know

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The town is looking for volunteers interested in helping their community should disaster strike.

The West Hartford Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is looking for new members to attend its next basic training class scheduled to begin on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Elmwood Community Center, 1106 New Britain Ave., West Hartford.

There is no cost to participate.

CERT training consists of a basic standardized 20-hour course followed by additional training in shelter management, first aid and disaster preparedness.

Classes include emergency first aid, disaster psychology, animal sheltering, fire safety and terrorism and more.

Students are trained by professional responders in areas that will help them take care of themselves and others before, during and after a major emergency.

CERT members will also take an online Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) training course.

"West Hartford’s Community Emergency Response Team is a group of local volunteers from different neighborhoods that receive special training to enhance their ability to recognize, respond to, and recover from a major emergency or disaster situation," reads an announcement from the town.

"As an organized team, individuals can provide vital services in the absence of, and while waiting for, the arrival of emergency responders."

To date the CERT team as contributed over 1,400 hours of volunteer time to the community and its work not only aids when disaster strikes, but community events requiring preparation against any potential problems.

For example, town officials said CERT volunteers assist at COVID and flu vaccination clinics, Memorial Day and Park Road parades, N95 mask and test kit distributions, Celebrate West Hartford festival, and the food pantry, among other events.

The team is also trained to assist during town-wide emergencies.

It meets and trains monthly at the Elmwood Community Center.

Team members volunteer as their availability and interest dictate. There is no minimum activity requirement and training is completely free.

Students completing the class receive a CERT backpack with emergency equipment and a certificate of completion from Connecticut’s Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.

To participate in the program, a person must be at least 18 years old and either live, work or go to school in West Hartford.

The team is an integral part of the town’s Office of Emergency Management, which is under the direction of West Hartford Fire Chief Greg Priest.

For more information about the CERT program, you may email CERT@westhartfordct.gov or call the town’s CERT team coordinator Robert McCue at 860-561-8310.

If interested in joining the team, visit the Town of West Hartford’s CERT web page or click on this link for the CERT Application.