Community Emergency Response Teams ( CERTs )

Organized groups of trained citizen responders, called Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), have formed throughout the Hartford area, the state of Connecticut, and the country.

The CERT training course is delivered by teams of first responders. Anyone can participate (though some programs restrict participation to people 18 years of age or older). The CERT training is usually delivered in 2.5 hour sessions, one evening a week over a seven-week period.

If you are interested in taking CERT training, or becoming a member of a CERT team, contact your local Citizen Corps Council or visit the Volunteer page of this website.

The CERT training course consists of the following:

• Session I: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
  Addresses Hartford area hazards. Materials cover actions that participants and their families take before, during, and after a disaster. Materials help citizens assist family members and neighbors in a safe and appropriate manner. The CERT concept and organization are discussed as are applicable laws governing volunteers in the Hartford area.

 

• Session II: DISASTER FIRE SUPPRESSION
  Gives a brief overview of fire chemistry, hazardous materials, fire hazards, and fire suppression strategies. Materials cover the safe use of fire extinguishers, sizing up the situation, controlling utilities, and extinguishing a small fire.

 

• Session III: DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS (PART I)
  Participants practice diagnosing and treating airway obstruction, bleeding, and shock using simple triage and rapid treatment techniques.

 

• Session IV: DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS (PART II)
  Participants learn to evaluate patients by doing a head to toe assessment, establishing a medical treatment area, performing basic first aid, and practicing in a safe and sanitary manner.

 

• Session V: LIGHT SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS
  Participants learn about search and rescue planning, size-up, search techniques, rescue techniques, and rescuer safety.

 

• Session VI: DISASTER PSYCHOLOGY AND TEAM ORGANIZATION
  Covers signs and symptoms that might be experienced by the disaster victim and worker. It addresses CERT organization and management principles and the need for documentation.

 

• Session VII: COURSE REVIEW AND DISASTER SIMULATION
  Participants review take-home exam answers and practice the skills that they have learned during the previous six sessions in a disaster activity. During each session, participants are required to bring safety equipment (gloves, goggles, mask) and disaster supplies (bandages, flashlight, dressings) which will be used during the session. By doing this for each session, participants are building a disaster response kit of items that they will need during a disaster.

Frequently Asked Questions about CERT

• Andover CERT
  Point of Contact: Sylvia Dake
  Phone Number: 860-742-7305
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


• East Hartford CERT
  Point of Contact: Daniel Dube
  Phone Number: 860-291-7644
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  Website address: http://www.EHCERT.org


• Ellington CERT
  Point of Contact: John Streiber
  Phone Number: 860-918-3112
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


• Enfield CERT
  Point of Contact: Daniel Vindigni
  Phone Number: 860-253-6351
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


• Granby CERT
  Point of Contact: Joe Killen Phone
  Number: 860-844-5321
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


• Hartford CERT team
  Point of Contact: Lionel Thompson
  Phone Number: 860-757-4520
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


• Manchester CERT
  Point of Contact: Donald Janelle
  Phone Number: 860-647-5259
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


• Plymouth CERT
  Point of Contact: Carl Johnson
  Phone Number: 860-940-8904
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


• Somers CERT Team
  Point of Contact: Peter DeBrino
  Phone Number: 860-749-1127
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


• Vernon CERT
  Point of Contact: Allen Sheridan
  Phone Number: 860-338-0869
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it


• West Hartford CERT
  Point of Contact: William Austin
  Phone Number: 860-561-8300
  E-mail address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

The American Red Cross provides Health and Safety Training to help citizens prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies and disasters.

You can take classes to learn each of the following disaster-related skills:

• First aid
• CPR
• Automated external defibrillator (AED) use
• Pet first aid

To find American Red Cross classes that are convenient to your specific location, visit the
American Red Cross Course Locator.

 

Local Red Cross Chapters

• ARC Farmington
  209 Farmington Avenue
  Farmington, CT 06032

• ARC Middletown
  97 Broad Street
  Middletown, CT 06457-3236

• ARC New Britain
  45 Russell Street
  New Britain, CT 06052