CERT - COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM

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The Granite Falls CERT team is a group of locally trained volunteers who are ready to respond when and where called, such as a major disaster or emergency.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the team please contact support87@gffd17.org

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The first CERT training class was held on September 12, 2018.   We currently have 26 area residents who have graduated and are ready to serve when and where needed. 

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At this point, citizens over the age of 18 are encouraged to participate.  CERT trained individuals are critical to supporting local fire and law enforcement in the event of a major disaster or other emergency.

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This is an excerpt from the national CERT program:

“The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, which allows them to focus on more complex tasks. Through CERT, the capabilities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters is built and enhanced.

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At the same time, the CERT program was designed as a grassroots initiative and specifically structured so that the local and state program managers have the flexibility to form their programs in the way that best suits their communities. CERT volunteers are trained to respond safely, responsibly, and effectively to emergency situations, but they can also support their communities during non-emergency events as well. There are over 2,700 local CERT programs nationwide, with more than 600,000 individuals trained since CERT became a national program.”