Community Emergency Response Team

During the initial hours following a disaster, emergency personnel may be overwhelmed and unable to respond to every situation needing assistance. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers are trained to assist their families, friends, neighbors and co-workers before, during and after a disaster event until professional responders arrive. They also report back to the Emergency Operations Center with reports of impacts to their area.

Our CERT team is made up of citizens, friends, neighbors and co-workers who realize that their actions make a difference. Following a 21-hour basic training program, CERT volunteers can extinguish small fires, provide lifesaving basic medical intervention and perform basic search and rescue operations. CERT volunteers can also assist with shelter staffing and damage assessment.

Throughout the year, CERT also assists with community events by providing disaster education and outreach, radio communications support, basic first aid and hydration stations, parking assistance and support for drills and exercises to test emergency response procedures.

Contact Emergency Management at (352) 754-4083 for more information about the CERT program, or to request a Hernando County Volunteer Application.