Klamath County CERT

CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team. CERT is about readiness, people helping people, rescuer safety, and the CERT mantra: Do the greatest good for the greatest number. CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency situations where citizens initially will be on their own and their actions can make a difference. Citizens can be trained to manage utilities and put out small fires; treat the three killers by opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating for shock; provide basic medical aid; search for and rescue victims safely; and organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective.

The CERT training was started by the Los Angeles Fire Department after its study of the Mexico City earthquake. Since 1993, when the training was made available nationally by FEMA. CERT teams have been trained throughout all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa.