Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

CERT is a critical program in the effort to engage everyone in the United States in making their communities safer, more prepared, and more resilient when incidents occur. CERT is a nationwide training program supported by FEMA but administered on the local level. KSU’s Department of Public Safety and the Office of Emergency Management actively supports the expansion of CERT training both on the Kennesaw and Marietta campuses.

Course Offerings:

Disaster Preparedness  -- 2H 30M -- 
An overview of CERT training, roles and responsibilities in community preparedness, hazards and their potential impact, personal, home and workplace preparedness, CERT disaster response, and protection for disaster workers.


CERT Organization -- 1H 30M -- 
In this course, participants will take a closer look at CERT organization and will discuss how CERT volunteers may be mobilized in the event of a disaster. The importance of proper documentation is also covered.

Disaster Medical Operations I -- 4H 0M -- 
The course introduces participants to the possible roles CERT members might play in simple triage of the injured and in treating the three most common life threatening conditions: airway obstruction, bleeding, and shock.

Disaster Medical Operations II -- 4H 0M -- 
A continuation of the previous course, this unit covers the functions of disaster medical operations and establishing medical treatment areas. Participants will learn how to conduct head-to-toe assessments, treat burns, provide wound care, and treat heat and cold related injuries.

Fire Safety and Utility Controls -- 2H 0M -- 
An overview of basic fire, utility and hazardous materials safety. Participants will learn about fire chemistry, fire size up considerations, and how to properly extinguish small fires.

Light Search and Rescue Operations -- 2H 0M -- 
This course covers safety during light search and rescue and procedures for conducting both interior and exterior searches.

Disaster Psychology -- 2H 30M -- 
This course presents an overview of disaster psychology, addresses CERT team well-being and how to work with survivors’ trauma.

Terrorism and CERT -- 2H 0M -- 
This course defines terrorism and covers terrorist agents, weapons, ways to prepare and protocols for CERT members. While CERT team members are NOT equipped or trained to respond to a terrorism incident, participants will be better prepared to deal with the potential effects of one.

Skills Review and Disaster Simulation -- 4H 0M -- 
This final CERT course provides a course and skills review. Participants will be involved in a hands-on disaster simulation and will be given feedback by CERT trainers and other CERT volunteers. **Prerequisite: Completion of all other CERT courses. 

All courses must be completed within a 12 month period.

Completion of CERT Training requires a total of 24 hours in CERT certified courses and is 
an excellent addition to your resume or vita as CERT is a nationally recognized program.

*** Please contact a CERT Program Manager for more information about course availability and pricing at CERT@kennesaw.edu