Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

About CERT

Citizen Training

The City of Boca Raton realized that properly trained citizens can become a tremendous resource in the event of a disaster. As a result, in 1998 Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services introduced a citizen training program known as CERT (Community Emergency Response Team). The CERT program is designed to focus on disasters and other emergencies.

Be Prepared

What if a hurricane, flood, tornado or man-made disaster were to strike? Would you know what to do? Are you prepared? Get involved. Join Now! CERT Training Will Help You Be Better Prepared.

This Is What it's All About

CERT Course is 9 consecutive weeks,
every Wednesday from 6 - 9 p.m.

Classes will be held at:
Fire Administration Building
6500 Congress Avenue, Suite 200
Boca Raton, FL 33487

1st Week

Teaches basic fire suppression, team and personal safety considerations, and an introduction to the problems associated with Hazardous Materials incidents.

2nd & 3rd Week

Disaster medical operations. Recognizing and treating life threatening injuries, triage, splinting, bandaging and basic patient care.

4th Week

Makes the student aware of various types of major emergencies that often affect South Florida, the Emergency Management System, and the process of disaster recovery.

5th Week

Explains different types of terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, personal protection and safety. Taught by Boca Raton Police Department.

6th & 7th Week

Teaches light search and rescue operations; size-up, search methods, patterns and safety precautions.

8th Week

Focuses on CERT operations before a hurricane; long term planning, how to organize a neighborhood, evaluate available resources and identify people with special needs.

9th Week

Deals with "post-storm" team operations; facing problems in organizing teams under emergency conditions and operating a neighborhood "command post". The student learns concepts, disaster psychology, damage assessment and documentation.

Next Class Schedule: TBA