CERT resources
Find a local CERT
Use this search tool to type in your zip code to find CERTs near you.
Take a CERT class
Local CERT programs post upcoming classes on the Washington Department of Emergency Management’s training calendar.
All CERT classes are FREE!
Request a CERT class in your community
If you still can’t find a CERT class you need on the above training calendar, or you would like to partner with community organizations to hold a CERT class in your area, email Serve Washington’s CERT Coordinator Celso Rangel.
National CERT Association
You can register your CERT--or become an individual member-- with the National CERT Association. NCA members receive newsletters and discounts for National CERT conference registration. Note: You do not have to join the NCA to participate in any CERT activity.
Events
Northwest Citizen Corps Expo
Northwest Citizen Corps Expo is a weekend-long event filled with hands-on trainings and workshops on topics including basic tirage, first-aid refreshers, beginning and advanced moulage, light search and rescue, radio communications, cribbing and rotating advanced CERT trainings. The expo is held in the fall, with locations changing each year.
Serve Washington posts information on upcoming expos our news and calendar pages when registration opens. To receive notifications in your inbox, enter your email address in subscribe to email updates and make sure "training notifications" is selected.
Registration for the 2023 Citizen Corps Expo is closed.
Information about the 2024 expo will be posted soon. Register for the 2023 Citizen Corps Expo
Leadership Summit and Training Day
Serve Washington, FEMA Region 10 partners, Citizen Corps and CERT leaders host an annual leadership and training day.
Many workshops emphasize leadership development, team management and techniques for helping different groups work cohesively together. There are also specialized workshops centered around CERT operations related to accessibility, technology, traffic and crowd management and more. CERT leaders and instructors, volunteer program and non-profit leaders, and anyone with and instructional or leadership role or interest in taking on an instructional or leadership role is encouraged to attend.
Dates and locations change yearly. Serve Washington will post up-to-date information the leadership summit on our news and calendar pages. To receive notifications in your inbox, enter your email address in our subscribe to email updates and make sure "training notifications" is selected.
FEMA resources
FEMA's CERT Training
This website contains FEMA web-based trainings. Courses include CERT Basic overview, IS-317 Introduction to CERT and IS-317A CERT and the Incident Command System. This is a great resource for new CERT volunteers and for those considering becoming a new CERT.
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute offers a variety of free trainings on emergency management topics to strengthen capabilities of anyone responding to an emergency.
Volunteers and volunteer organizations; federal state, local, tribal and territorial governments and employees of public and private sectors and members of the general public are welcome to take trainings.
FEMA Region 10
FEMA's Region 10 division has up-to-date information to help prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters specific to Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. Find information on local disaster recovery centers, flood maps , fact sheets, FEMA contacts, and other resources.
FEMA Youth Preparedness Council
FEMA’s Youth Preparedness Council helps teens get involved in preparedness activities. Youths in 8th-11th grades learn about disaster preparedness while participating in disaster preparedness projects locally and nationally. Participants represent the youth perspective on emergency preparedness and share information with their communities. They meet regularly with FEMA staff and also get the chance to attend the annual Youth Preparedness Summit in Washington, D.C.
Resources for CERT program managers and partners
CERT Forms
Coming soon! This section will be linked to a depository of downloadable CERT forms.
CERT Manuals
FEMA has a CERT basic traning page with downloadble basic traning manuals and instructor guides.
General preparedness resources
While Washington is a beautiful place to live, work and play, it’s also vulnerable to a full spectrum of humanmade and natural hazards. Below are a few links to disaster preparedness resources from ready.gov and Washington’s Emergency Management Division.
Make sure to contact your county’s emergency management office for free disaster preparedness information and resources to ensure you and your family are prepared for hazards specific to your area.
Ready.gov (US Department of Homeland Security)
Washington Emergency Management Division—Preparedness planning
- Threats and hazards facing Washington State
- Individuals and families
- Pets
- Neighborhoods
- Businesses
- Schools
EMD video library: Watch Washington-specific preparedness videos (available in multiple languages)
Information from the Ready Campaign (ready.gov)
How you should prepare
Resources from the Washington State Emergency Management Division:
- Threats and hazards facing Washington State
- Individuals and families
- Pets
- Neighborhoods
- Businesses
- Schools
- Watch Washington-specific preparedness videos (in multiple languages)
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