Preparedness Training

 A college or university campus often functions as a “city within a city,” and often has its own emergency management capabilities. A Campus CERT program can support and enhance existing capabilities and CERT volunteers can participate in efforts to increase the preparedness and resilience of the on-campus community. The first people on the scene of an incident available to provide assistance are almost always other survivors – including family members, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and classmates – not professional responders. Providing training in basic response skills to the community means more people are prepared to help during an emergency. In addition, training and organizing volunteers into teams helps to ensure that they can provide assistance in a more effective, safe, and responsible manner. Campus CERT volunteers can also support the non-emergency needs of the college or university. For example, appropriately trained Campus CERT volunteers can help manage traffic and crowds at large sporting events or other major campus functions, such as graduation ceremonies. However, while CERT volunteers learn a variety of skills, they are not professional responders and should not act beyond their training.

The college or university department responsible for campus safety should take the lead (or at least be a major partner) in developing and implementing a Campus CERT program, and should also be responsible for activating Campus CERT volunteers and directing their activities. Depending upon the college or university, the name of that department may vary (e.g. Campus Emergency Management, Campus Police, Campus Security, and Public Safety). Throughout this document, college or university officials responsible for campus safety will simply be referred to as “Campus Safety.” 

You should also coordinate with local community law enforcement or emergency management officials, and consult with other appropriate parties on campus, including campus leadership and legal counsel. Federal, state, and local government officials generally expect Campus CERT programs to limit their activities, especially response activities, to campus property. However, Campus CERT programs may be able to support CERT activities elsewhere in the community at the invitation of a local government emergency response organization (typically a police or fire department or emergency management agency), or per the terms of a formal agreement between the institution of higher education that oversees the program and a local government emergency response organization. 

A Workplace CERT program can support and enhance existing capabilities, and CERT volunteers can participate in efforts to increase the preparedness and resilience of the workplace and community. A Workplace CERT program equips employees with skills that enable them to perform basic disaster response operations in an emergency. Having trained volunteers available on staff helps protect the health, safety, and lives of people at your workplace. Workplace CERT volunteers are trained using the CERT Basic Training curriculum. 

A CERT program can increase workplace resilience by increasing personal preparedness, allowing employees to return to work more quickly after a disaster. For organizations with a large public-facing component, such as grocery stores or shopping malls, CERT can also help serve the public in the event of an emergency. CERT training will ensure employees have the knowledge and skills to act quickly. Workplace CERT volunteers can also support the non-emergency needs of the workplace. For example, appropriately trained Workplace CERT volunteers can help manage traffic and crowds at large events and functions. However, while CERT volunteers learn a variety of skills, they are not professional responders and should not act beyond their training.

Federal, state, and local government officials generally expect Workplace CERT programs to limit their activities, especially response activities, to workplace property. However, Workplace CERT programs may be able to support CERT activities elsewhere in the community at the invitation of a local government emergency response organization (typically a police or fire department or emergency management agency), or per the terms of a formal agreement between the business or organization that oversees the Workplace CERT program and a local government emergency response organization. 

Some employers may be interested in making CERT training available to employees, but not necessarily starting their own program. If that is the case at your workplace, please reach out to your local CERT program or your state CERT program manager to ask if they can provide training for employees. You can look up the contact information for your local CERT program at www.fema.gov/cert and for your state program manager by going to www.ready.gov/citizen-corps/find-my-state-program-manager and clicking on “state/territory point of contact.”