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General Community Emergency Response Teams
Contact Courtney Cunningham at kccunnin@chathamcounty.org for additional information regarding CERT classes.
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are about readiness, people helping people, rescuer safety, and doing the greatest good for the greatest number. CERT is 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. Through training, citizens can manage utilities and put out small fires; treat the three killers by opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating for shock; provide basic medical aid; search for and rescue victims safely; and organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective during an emergency.
How can you become a CERT Volunteer?
Click here to complete your online CERT Volunteer application now!
Once your application has been submitted, our CERT Coordinator will contact you with more information. Call the Chatham Emergency Management Agency office at (912) 201-4500 with any questions.
CERT training will teach participants to:
• Take steps to prepare themselves for a disaster.
• Identify and reduce potential fire hazards in their homes and workplaces.
• Apply basic fire suppression strategies, resources, and safety measures.
• Apply techniques for opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating shock.
• Conduct triage under simulated conditions.
• Select and set up treatment areas.
• Employ basic treatments for various wounds.
• Identify planning and size-up requirements for potential search and rescue situations.
• Use safe techniques for debris removal and victim extraction.
Community Emergency Response Team Training is available in our region!
Chatham County Citizens Corps Council was formed as part of a National and statewide effort designed to help individuals and neighborhoods prepare for and respond to catastrophic disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and other major emergencies.
CERT Volunteers are specifically needed to provide support to local agencies and to help with large scale urban shelters in case of future emergency needs!!
Facts and figures about emergency preparedness:
• 80 percent of
• More than 50 percent of Georgians don't have an emergency plan in place that includes a pre-arranged family meeting place or reunification plan, extra prescription medications or copies of prescriptions, or alternate shelter.
• There is confusion between what Georgians believe they are prepared for and what they expect regarding public assistance in the event of a large scale disaster. For example, a majority of respondents believed that they could survive without assistance for up to 72 hours, even though they expected outside support to be available in less than three days.
• Most respondents say they have stocked at least some emergency supplies in the past six months, but many critical supplies, such as extra prescription medication, face masks and pet supplies have been stocked the least. 31% have stocked extra prescription medication; 24% have stocked face masks; 34% have stocked extra supplies for pets.
• While many respondents have stocked some items, a majority have NOT performed key activities. 81% have not conducted an evacuation or fire drill; 72% have not arranged a family meeting place or reunification plan; 70% have not identified an evacuation route from their community.
• Disasters strike victims of all social, economic and racial groups, yet there is a wide disparity among these groups in terms of the level of preparedness and potential for outside or third-party assistance. For example, nine percent of the Hispanic population and 34 percent of the African-American population polled responded that they are somewhat prepared as compared to 56 percent of the Caucasian population. Those who are least prepared tend to be younger, single, less educated and have a lower average household income.
* All facts and figures were compiled from an October 2007 statewide survey conducted on behalf of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA).
Even more information is available at http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/
