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SUFFOLK
COUNTY
COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM
(CERT)
During a large-scale disaster, the response of any community’s emergency services may be delayed or overwhelmed for a variety of reasons. This leaves the citizens of the community - family, neighbors, and co-workers - to provide for their own well-being and safety until professional responders arrive. This very reality is the cornerstone of the Suffolk County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program.
The goal of the CERT program is to provide the private citizens who complete the course with the basic skills that they will need to respond to their community’s immediate needs in the aftermath of a disaster, when emergency services are not immediately available. By working together, CERTs can assist in saving lives and protecting property using the basic techniques in this course.
The CERT program is about readiness, people helping people, rescuer safety, and doing the greatest good for the greatest number. The program provides a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens will be initially on their own and their actions can make a difference. CERT is a community based volunteer effort and is a component of the Suffolk County Citizen Corps Council’s program.
The CERT program strives to present citizens with the facts about what to expect following a major disaster in their community and to deliver the message about their responsibility for mitigation and preparedness. Through didactic and hands-on sessions they receive training in needed life saving skills with emphasis on decision making, rescuer safety, and doing the greatest good for the greatest number. Lastly, local CERT program managers will likely organize teams so that they are an extension of first responder services offering immediate help to victims until professional services arrive.
The basic CERT program encompasses units such as:
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Emergency Preparedness
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Fire Safety
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Emergency Medical Operations I
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Emergency Medical Operations II
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American Heart Association CPR Certification
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Light Search and Rescue Operations
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Shelter Operations & Management
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Nation Incident Management System’s (NUMS) IS700 & ICS 100
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CERT Organization
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Disaster Psychology
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Terrorism and CERT
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Disaster Simulation
These units are intended to be delivered in 2 ½ to 3 hour blocks during once-per-week evening sessions.
Program Responsibilities
Administered by the Suffolk County Office of Emergency management (OEM), the County’s responsibilities of the CERT program include course delivery, team/program management, and material and equipment costs.
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