BE PART OF THE SOLUTION 

AND NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM!

BY JOINING A
Citizen Emergency Response Team

WHY?

Citizen Emergency Response Teams (CERT) were first developed and implemented by the City of Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985. When a disaster strikes the local emergency response agencies become immediately overwhelmed during the first few hours of the catastrophic event. This underscored the need to train civilians to meet the initial emergency needs in their homes, neighborhoods, schools and places of work.

Right now over 8,000 persons have been trained and placed into CERT teams throughout Los Angeles. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) now provides training at the national level for emergency agencies to train and implement their own CERT programs.

The community of Yacolt is isolated from the majority of Clark County and may need to become self reliant for up to 72 hours before the arrival of outside help. North Country EMS and Clark County Fire District-13 are small agencies and will need the help of the local citizens to make it through a disaster.

WHAT ARE CERT?
CERT volunteers will be trained under the guidance of North Country EMS and Clark County Fire District-13. These volunteers will be prepared to help us save the lives and property of the community we serve. CERTs also help by adding to the force of emergency workers in the areas of greatest need. These volunteer teams will provide leadership at the neighborhood level and work hand in hand with the local emergency service agencies during their response to disaster situations.

CERT Team Members are trained to:

WHAT DOES THE TRAINING CONSIST OF?
To become a CERT team member you must complete a ten-week course covering the basic skills that are important to know in the event of a disaster. Training will be conducted one day per week for approximately three hours at convenient times and locations. Training will be provided by NCEMS members and a multitude of other highly trained and experienced disaster workers.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO BECOME A CERT MEMBER?
CERT members are civilian volunteers age 12 and older who are committed to the community. Some disaster response equipment will be supplied to CERT trainees at the successful completion of the course. CERT members will also be asked to join in community fund raising events to help aid in the purchase of required individual CERT member equipment.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON JOINING A CERT TEAM CONTACT
JANINA KERR-BRYANT (NCEMS) AT 360 686-3271, OR email at j.kerr@northcountryems.org