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Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

What is CERT?

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their community and trains them in basic disaster response skills. These skills include areas such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Following an event when professional responders are not immediately available, those who have completed CERT training are better equipped to assist others in their neighborhood or workplace.

Greenville County CERT offers training courses open to the community at least twice a year (Spring & Fall). If you have a group of at least 10 people who would like to take the training together, we can often schedule a class specifically for your group.

Participants gain hands-on experience in the following sessions:

  • Basic Disaster Preparedness
  • Basic Fire Suppression
  • Disaster Medical Operations 1: Triage & Treating Life Threatening Injuries
  • Disaster Medical Operations 2: Assessment, Treatment, and Hygiene
  • Light Search & Rescue
  • Team Organization & Disaster Psychology
  • Terrorism & CERT
  • Final Exercise (view pictures)

Training Calendar

To accommodate as many people as possible, we will offer two training options for our 2013 Spring CERT classes. The first option will meet on Mondays at the Red Cross (940 Grove Rd) from 6:00pm-8:30pm, March 11 - April 29. The second option will meet on April 13, 20, & 27 (Saturdays) at the Civil Air Patrol building (11 Airport Rd Ext) from 8:30am-5:00pm, and then join the other class for the final exercise on Monday, April 29, from 6:00pm-8:30pm. Please check out the flyer below for more information and click on the registration form if you would like to sign up for this free training.

If you have any questions, email Rachel Nafziger or call her at 864-467-2680.

Check Out Our Facebook Page!

Head on over to our Facebook page and "like" us to stay updated on when we will be conducting our next basic or refresher training classes. You can also view and share pictures from final exercises.
Facebook is an easy way for you to help us spread the word about CERT training.

Frequently Asked Questions About CERT

How Does CERT Benefit the Community?
People who go through CERT training have a better understanding of the potential threats to their home, workplace, and community. They have been trained to commence activities that will lessen the effects of a variety of hazards on themselves, their homes, and their workplace. If a disaster happens that overwhelms local response capability, CERT members can apply the training learned in the classroom and during exercises to give critical support to loved ones, neighbors, and associates in their immediate area until help arrives.

Why Take the CERT Training?
Local government prepares for everyday emergencies; however, there may be an emergency or disaster that can overwhelm the community's immediate response capability. The primary reason for CERT training is to give people the decision-making, organizational, and practical skills to offer immediate assistance to family members, neighbors, and associates while waiting for help. While people will respond to others in need without the training, the goal of the CERT program is to help people do so effectively and efficiently without placing themselves in unnecessary danger.

Who Can Take the Training?
Individuals who are interested in learning how to be better prepared for emergencies as well as groups like Neighborhood Watch, community organizations, communities of faith, school staff, workplace employees, and other groups that come together regularly for a common purpose. Training is available free of charge to individuals who live, work, or worship in Greenville County.

Visit the National CERT website at https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/