Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

The City of Yorba Linda, in partnership with the Orange County Sheriff's Department and Orange County Fire Authority, has established a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program to educate residents about disaster preparedness.

The Yorba Linda CERT program educates people about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster response skills. The goal of Yorba Linda CERT is to provide citizens with the basic skills to protect themselves, their families, and neighbors in the aftermath of a disaster. As a CERT volunteer, you can help by responding to the immediate needs of your neighborhood following an event when professional emergency responders are not immediately available to help.

Requirements

CERT is a component of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Citizen Corps Program. CERT training is provided using a nationally recognized curriculum approved by FEMA. There are two training options, detailed below. All courses must be completed for a trainee to be considered a graduate of the program. Both CERT training options are provided free of charge, but pre-registration is required.

In-Person Course

The course requires 20 hours of hands-on, in-person instruction taught by certified professionals in emergency management, as well as authorized fire and police service personnel. 

Hybrid Course

The Hybrid CERT Training course incorporates 12 hours of online, independent study followed by a two-day in-person skills training and disaster simulation.

Training Topics

  • CERT Team Organization
  • Disaster Medical Operations
  • Disaster Psychology
  • Fire Safety
  • Light Search and Rescue
  • Terrorism Awareness

neXt training session

Our Spring 2022 Disaster Preparedness training program offers two ways to take the Community Emergency Response Team course: a traditional in-person course with instruction on five consecutive Wednesday nights from April 6 to May 4, and a self-paced, online course with a two-day in-person skills workshop on the weekend of June 25 & 26, 2022.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

For additional information, please email Chris Pena, Emergency Management Coordinator, or call 714-961-7118.