West Hartford Seeks Emergency Volunteers Should Disaster Hit

WEST HARTFORD, CT — West Hartford is seeking residents interested in learning emergency preparedness skills and volunteering to help the community during emergencies and other town events.

The West Hartford Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, is recruiting new members as the town marks National Preparedness Month in September.

The volunteer program trains participants to prepare themselves and their families for emergencies while also giving them skills that can be used to assist the town during emergencies, community events, and other activities.

Nearly 400 residents have completed CERT training since 2021, according to the town.

Those volunteers have contributed more than 12,000 hours at special events and during town-wide emergencies.

CERT members receive more than 20 hours of specialized training covering:

• Disaster preparedness
• CERT organization
• Disaster medical operations
• Disaster psychology
• Fire safety and utility controls
• Light search and rescue operations
• Terrorism and active-shooter situations

The training is designed for participants of all experience and ability levels.

The program is open to people age 18 and older who live or attend school in West Hartford. CERT members are not required to volunteer for a minimum number of hours or events and can select opportunities based on their interests, schedules, and availability.

The town's next CERT training class begins Saturday, Oct. 3. Classes will generally be held Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon. The final class is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 8.

Those interested in becoming CERT members or enrolling in the upcoming training can complete an application through the Town of West Hartford.

Additional information is available by emailing CERT@westhartfordct.gov or calling the West Hartford Office of Emergency Management at 860-561-8310.

To apply for CERT training, click on this link.