Gwinnett Community Emergency Response Team Accepting Fall Applications

From Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County is currently seeking applicants for the Fall 2015 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.

Classes for this program take place every Tuesday evening between 6:30 pm to 9 pm beginning Sept. 8 and concluding Oct. 20. One Saturday class will take place on October 24 between 8 am and 12 pm. The classes (with the exception of the October 24 class) will be held at the Gwinnett County Police Department Annex building located at 800 Hi Hope Road in Lawrenceville (next to GCPD Headquarters).

The Gwinnett CERT program is managed by the Gwinnett County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and includes Initial CERT Training and CERT Volunteer opportunities.

In a large-scale operation where the first responder system is overwhelmed, individuals who have completed initial CERT training will have the skills to provide assistance in their homes, neighborhoods, and local communities until first responders arrive.

Approved CERT volunteers can go beyond and serve in administrative functions within Gwinnett OEM and take additional training to serve in more complex capacities such as supporting local emergency responders and other support agencies within the Emergency Management System.

Course topics include:

· Disaster Preparedness

· Fire Safety

· Medical Operations (Part 1)

· Medical Operations (Part 2)

· CERT Organization

· Terrorism and Disaster Psychology

· Light Search and Rescue

· Course Review and Disaster Simulation

Who can sign up? All applicants must be at least 18 years old and successfully pass a background check.

How do I sign up? All applicants must complete a volunteer application. You can find this on www.gwinnettcounty.com or by emailing the volunteer coordinator at policevolunteers@gwinnettcounty.com.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept was developed by the Los Angeles City Fire Department in 1985. It was originally designed to provide a large body of auxiliary support to Emergency Services during wild fires and after earthquakes. FEMA adopted and expanded the CERT materials believing them applicable to all hazards. Gwinnett County started our CERT program in March 2004 and has trained hundreds of residents to make their communities safer, better prepared and more resilient when incidents occur.

For more information about the CERT program, please email EMA@gwinnettcounty.com.

CERT Brochure

CERT Class #38 Schedule