FEMA C.E.R.T program

CERT program

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Disaster recovery and response is very important in the community. Even though nobody hopes for bad incidents to occur, they normally occur when its least expected. Founded in 1993, Femas community emergency response team (CERT) is tasked in training the community on various ways and how to respond on various disasters that happen in the community by equipping its member with basic response skills such as disaster medical operations, light search and rescue and team organization (Flint & Brennan, 2006). CERT offers same skills nationwide giving the community a common approach while dealing with emergency response.

The goals and priorities of CERT is to train volunteers skills to deal with emergency response. The goals include training as much as possible volunteers countrywide. CERT focuses majorly on ensuring that its members learn how to safely respond to hazards either artificial or manmade. They also ensure that the can organize a basic response to disaster (Flint & Brennan, 2006) . In addition to that CERT aims at promoting preparedness in the community to reach many people in the community. This way the community is aware of how handle emergency situations. Another goal of CERT is to ensure that the training is convenient to its member as much as possible. The organization has divided itself to regions to ensure that it reaches various people from all over.

CERT program can be utilized in the society in various ways such simple fire fighting activities, collecting funds to aid disaster victims, the program can also be utilized to ensure maximum outreach to the grassroots for awareness campaigns in disaster response (Flint & Brennan, 2006). A prepared community is an achieving community. Since the organization is free, member can be used to collect data in all areas during disasters and in evacuation instances. The team can also be made use by the organization to provide medical emergency activities in their areas of need.

To conclude, CERT program has been helpful in disaster response and recovery operations. Many volunteers are urged to join this selfless helping organization to ensure that the country is prepared in cases of disaster. Disaster and hazards always come unannounced hence the earlier we get prepared and educated about how to evade these cases it will lead to more result-oriented responses.

Reference

Flint, C., & Brennan, M. (2006). Community emergency response teams: From disaster responders to community builders. Rural realities, 1(3), 1-9.