CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. Members are all volunteers who play a role in supporting professional first responders. CERTs teach people about how to prepare for disasters that can happen in their communities. CERTs learn basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue and medical operations.
As a CERT member, you can play an important role in helping people in your neighborhood or workplace before, during and after an emergency.
Serve Washington does not run local CERT programs. We work with local CERTs to make sure their programs meet credentialing and other state requirements for volunteers and disaster workers. We provide support to organizations, groups and individuals who wish to start a CERT program in their community. We also help connect interested volunteers to CERT programs in their area.
CERT instructors believe that everyone can serve their communities before, during and after a disaster. CERT is open to adults and teens of all ages and abilities.
Anyone 18 or older cantake a basic CERT training. Teens between 13-17 can participate with written permission from their parent or guardian. Youths between 11 and 12 must obtain written permission from their parent or guardian and the parent or guardian must accompany them to CERT trainings and events.
The first step to becoming a CERT volunteer is to complete a CERT basic class. Then you can join a CERT team in your area.
If you still can’t find an active CERT team in your area, contact our state CERT Coordinator, Celso Rangel.
The Washington Department of Emergency Management has a training calendar you can search for CERT classes in your area. All CERT classes are FREE!
Instruction and course materials are available in Chinese (simplified and traditional), English, Korean and Spanish. Braille materials are available on request.
If you still can’t find a CERT class you need near you or you would like to work with a local CERT sponsoring organization to hold a class in your area, contact our state CERT Coordinator, Celso Rangel.
View a list of useful resources for current and prospective CERT members.
This page also has tools for CERT prorgam managers and instructors.
Find a local opportunity to help in your community through one of our Citizen Corps partners.