Each year, many communities are rocked by severe weather, such as tornadoes, floods or flash floods, winter storms, or by manmade disasters. The damage caused by such disasters affect everyone. Disasters can restrict and overwhelm emergency response resources, communications, transportation and utilities; and leave individuals and neighborhoods virtually cut off from any outside emergency support for a considerable amount of time.

Community Emergency Response Teams (C.E.R.T.) are trained to take care of themselves and then help others in their communities for the first three days following a disaster.

The purpose of C.E.R.T. training is to provide citizens with the basic skills required to handle virtually all their own needs and then to be able to respond to their communities needs in the aftermath of a disaster.

During his 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush asked Americans to volunteer their services in order to improve and safeguard their country. Harnessing the spirit of cooperation that developed as a result of the tragic events of September 11th, he created the Citizen Corps Program to organize volunteer services in the areas of crime, natural disasters and terrorism. The Community Emergency Response Team or (C.E.R.T.) is a part of the Citizen Corps Program.

The C.E.R.T. concept dates back to 1985, when the Los Angeles Fire Department recognized that in the early stages of a disaster – earthquakes in particular – local emergency responders would be overwhelmed, and basic training in disaster survival and rescue skills would improve the ability of community members to survive until responders or other assistance arrived.

After recognizing the universal value of this program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) worked in conjunction with the LAFD to make the C.E.R.T. program applicable to all types of hazards and developed a C.E.R.T. training program which could be used nationwide and adapted to meet local conditions when the need arose.

The events of September 11 remind us that disaster can strike anywhere or anytime, and that basic safety and disaster survival skills can mean the difference between life and death. C.E.R.T. training empowers community members to prepare responsibly and respond appropriately when emergencies occur.

Following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services will not be able to meet the demand for these services. Factors such as the number of victims, communication failures, and road blockages will prevent people from accessing emergency services they have come to expect at a moment's notice through 911. People will have to rely on each other for help in order to meet their immediate life saving and life sustaining needs.

Under these conditions, family members, fellow employees, and neighbors will spontaneously try to help each other. Following the Mexico City earthquake for example, untrained, spontaneous volunteers saved 800 people. However, 100 people lost their lives while attempting to save others. This is too high of price to pay and can be prevented through training.

C.E.R.T. members give critical support to first responders in emergencies, provide immediate assistance to victims, organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site, and collect disaster intelligence to support first responder efforts.