Program Status: Stand Down / Ready 

Neighbors"

Disasters like tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, blizzards, or even terrorist attacks can strike Indiana with little or no warning. When they do, you and the people in your community, your neighborhood or workplace face serious immediate dangers to life and limb. It may be hours or days before professional first responders, such as firefighters, law enforcement officials, or emergency medical personnel arrive at your location to help. They may be overwhelmed with calls for assistance. Streets or roads to your area may be blocked by debris, water or snow.

CERT is not meant to replace the professional first responders. It is intended as a community self-help program to be used in times of disaster until the professionals arrive. It provides people on the scene who have basic training in first-aid and triage, light search and rescue, small fire suppression, and disaster scene organization. This is a great relief to the victims and assistance to the professional first responders. It means immediate response. It means lives can be saved.

CERT teams are citizens trained by local professionals (fire, law enforcement, emergency medical and emergency management personnel) in the skills most important to the situation. When the disaster happens, the team members first take care of their personal situation, and then meet as a team to organize and provide assistance as they were taught to do by the professionals.

How you can help!

If selected, you will be enrolled in basic CERT training (a 28 hour course taught in your area by local trainers from Allen County fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency medical providers, and your emergency management agency). You will then receive a backpack filled with basic materials and equipment you will need at the scene and assigned to a team in your area. You will participate in regular supplemental training and mock disasters to enhance your skills throughout the year. If this is something you or someone you know would like to do, print out an application and return it to the address at the bottom of the application.  Click here to open and print the CERT Application. 
 

Any questions please call or email:

Matt Brokaw
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