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Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program

CERT Program logo

What is CERT?

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a FEMA-sponsored program that educates and trains volunteers in disaster preparedness. This program, established in all 50 states, offers a consistent platform to create teams that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations.

CERT Program training exercise  
CERT Program fire safety training

There are four types of CERT programs:

  1. Community
  2. Workplace
  3. Campus
  4. Teen

Each program is supported by a sponsoring organization. A sponsoring organization can be any government agency, such as a fire department, emergency management agency or city council.

As a member of a CERT program, you will be trained in basic disaster response skills, such as disaster medical operations, disaster psychology, fire safety, and light search and rescue. It's up to the sponsoring organization to determine how teams will be utilized, but the most common activities CERT members participate in are traffic/crowd management, supporting emergency operations centers and distributing preparedness information to the public.

Why CERT?

When a disaster strikes, you are the help until help arrives. Being part of a CERT program and having basic disaster response skills allows you to help those around you, whether it be at work, school or home, immediately following a disaster.

Get Involved

There are more than 50 active CERT programs across Oregon. Use is table below to find contact information for a team in your area.


CERT Programs in Oregon


If you have questions about a program or how to start a CERT team in Oregon, email: community.preparedness@oem.oregon.gov