Community Emergency Response Team
The Bainbridge Island Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a volunteer-based initiative that equips citizens with essential emergency response skills. CERT's training programs empower community members to effectively respond to disaster scenarios in their neighborhoods, ensuring that immediate support can be provided even when emergency services may be overwhelmed or delayed.
This nationwide initiative boasts a dedicated community of over 600,000 CERT members across all 50 states, all of whom are committed to safeguarding their families, neighbors, and localities during disasters.
Former Disaster Hubs Team Lead Ian Proffer leading a live exercise drill with members from CERT, MRC, and Disaster Hubs
Mission and Community Impact:
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) plays a crucial role in enhancing the resilience and safety of our community during disaster situations. The CERT training equips community members with vital skills to react efficiently and effectively in emergencies, minimizing harm, and potentially saving lives before professional emergency services arrive. By transforming ordinary citizens into skilled volunteer responders, CERT not only strengthens individual households but also cultivates a sense of community solidarity and collective responsibility. This proactive approach enhances our community's overall readiness for disaster scenarios and fosters a culture of self-reliance and preparedness.
About the Team:
The CERT training program focuses on providing community members with basic skills crucial during disaster scenarios, with a goal to maximize good for the greatest number of people while ensuring their own safety. This includes assessing damage in designated areas, extinguishing small fires, shutting off natural gas inlets to damaged homes, conducting light search and rescue operations, and administering basic medical aid. Beyond these immediate response capabilities, trained CERT volunteers also assist in non-hazardous roles, supporting service organizations in activities such as shelter support, crowd control, and evacuation events. This team's mission represents the community's commitment to collective strength, mutual aid, and resilience in the face of adversity.
To join the CERT, volunteers must complete a 24-hour training course offered free to all Bainbridge Island residents or employees aged 18 and above. The training covers a range of topics, including disaster preparedness, fire safety, utility control, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue operations, disaster psychology, CERT organization, and terrorism. The courses are taught by CERT instructors and subject matter experts, and they are held year-round on a rolling basis.
Team Overview Video
Resources and Questions
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In preparation for a major disaster, the team trains volunteers in various emergency response skills, including disaster preparedness, fire safety, utility control, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue operations, disaster psychology, CERT organization, and terrorism.
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During an activation, CERT volunteers respond to disasters in their respective areas, conducting tasks like assessing damages, extinguishing small fires, shutting off natural gas to damaged homes, performing light search and rescue, and providing basic medical aid.
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The team is activated in the event of any emergency or disaster that may require immediate response, particularly when professional emergency services are overwhelmed or delayed.
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In an emergency or disaster, trained CERT volunteers will already be working in the community to provide immediate response and aid.
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CERT training includes disaster preparedness; fire safety and utility control; disaster medical operations (like triage, treating burns, splinting); light search and rescue operations; disaster psychology; CERT organization; and terrorism.
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Any residents or employees of Bainbridge Island who are 18 years or older can participate in CERT training.
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To register for CERT training, please follow these steps:
1) Fill out the Bainbridge Island Emergency Volunteer Application online form to go through a background check
https://www.bainbridgeprepares.org/volunteer
Note: If you’ve already done this as a member of a different team on Bainbridge Prepares, you may provide your City of Bainbridge Island Volunteer Emergency Worker ID Card number in Step 4 below in lieu of filling out this form again
2) Fill out the CERT Volunteer Digital Agreement
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIm7yx3lBCk9UaUGHEdop2mRQhdpRdQoVwQNlDvudfFXVc0g/viewform
3) Fill out the CERT Code of Conduct Digital Agreement
4) Send an email to cert-leads@bainbridgeprepares.org indicating the above steps have been completed to begin the online portion of training.
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If you're interested in becoming a CERT volunteer, please follow these steps:
1) Fill out the Bainbridge Island Emergency Volunteer Application online form to go through a background check
https://www.bainbridgeprepares.org/volunteer
Note: If you’ve already done this as a member of a different team on Bainbridge Prepares, you may provide your City of Bainbridge Island Volunteer Emergency Worker ID Card number in Step 4 below in lieu of filling out this form again
2) Fill out the CERT Volunteer Digital Agreement
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIm7yx3lBCk9UaUGHEdop2mRQhdpRdQoVwQNlDvudfFXVc0g/viewform
3) Fill out the CERT Code of Conduct Digital Agreement
4) Send an email to cert-leads@bainbridgeprepares.org indicating the above steps have been completed to begin the online portion of training.
Additional CERT Related Videos
Nationwide CERT Overview
PBS Documentary:
Earthquake Risks for Pacific Northwest Residents
Bainbridge Island Post-Earthquake:
Reverse Evacuation by Boat Training Exercise
Bainbridge Island Post-Earthquake:
Mass Casualty Training Exercise