LV-3: Practical Training
The CERT practical training page is for citizens who want to learn about emergency preparedness in a practical, hands-on way. It’s the perfect choice for those who wish to obtain the official FEMA CERT certificate and feel confident in their skills. Students will learn hands-on disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations from trained first responders and medical personnel, who will use the Incident Command System (ICS) framework for emergency response.
CERT Basic Training Categories:
Unit 1 – Disaster Preparedness
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- Community Preparedness Roles and Responsibilities
- Hazards and Their Potential Impact
- Impact on the Infrastructure
- Home and Workplace Preparedness
- Reducing the Impact of Hazards Through Mitigation
- CERT Disaster Response
- Protection for Disaster Workers
- Additional Training for CERTs
Unit 2 – CERT Organization
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- CERT Organization
- CERT Mobilization
- Documentation
Unit 3 – Disaster Medical Operations (Part 1)
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- Treating Life-Threatening Conditions
- Triage
- Treating Burns
- Wound Care
- Treating Fractures, Dislocations, Sprains, and Strains
- Nasal Injuries
- Treating Cold-Related Injuries
- Treating Heat-Related Injuries
- Bites and Stings
Unit 4 – Disaster Medical Operations (Part 2)
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- Public Health Considerations
- Functions of Disaster Medical Operations
- Establishing Medical Treatment Areas
- Conducting Head-to-Toe Assessments
Unit 5 – Disaster Psychology
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- Disaster Trauma
- Team Well-Being
- Working with Survivors of Trauma
Unit 6 – Fire Safety and Utility Controls
- Fire Chemistry
- Fire and Utility Hazards
- CERT Size-up
- Fire Size-up Considerations
- Firefighting Resources
- Fire Suppression Safety
- Hazardous Materials
- Exercise: Proper use of a fire extinguisher to extinguish small fires
Unit 7 – Light Search and Rescue Operations
- Safety During Search and Rescue Operations
- Conducting Interior and Exterior Search Operations
- Conducting Rescue Operations Exercise
- Exercise: Search and simple triage
Unit 8 – Terrorism and CERT
- What Is Terrorism?
- Terrorist Targets
- Terrorist Weapons
- CBRNE Indicators
- Preparing at Home, Work, and in Your Neighborhood
- CERTs and Terrorist Incidents
Updated: September 23, 2024