Posted: 2/2/2010 5:28:11 PM EDT
| I am looking at taking a cert class in my area. there arent any. Is there a website that might list them. I searched for CERT courses in dupage county and in elgin and bartlett and nothing comes up. Am I looking in the wrong area. I am certified with FEMA and I am looking to get trained to train others. |
http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/
ETA: it'll likely be very basic for you, but it's worth the 10 weeks... |
|
It took me a while to figure out where to go for the CERT classes, too. The website lists a bunch of 'teams' for towns nearby, but in the end the county Office of Emergency Management was the main driver for training, with classes happening at a local community college, and one or two other locations in the county.
Of course, the county right across the state border doesn't have any CERT program at all. So maybe you'll need to drive to another county for training, or work on starting a local CERT program. But Illinois does have a CERT presence on some level, even if you might need to drive to a program: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cc/CertIndex.do?reportsForState&cert=&state=IL Just go down that list and email or call the contacts. Someone in your area should be able to point you in the right direction. |
|
Quoted:
If a person get's the CERT credentials, are you obligated to be away from your family or neighborhood when disaster strikes? No. It's completely voluntary and you are taught the basic premis of taking care of yourself first, then your family, then your local immediate neighbors, then the larger community (if able to assist) Each state has a state coordinator and each county should have county coordinator, although these "positions" are more likely just another hat some person has to wear, and they may not have any active presense at all in the county (or even the state). They should be attached thru your state Department of Ememrgency Management and that would be a good place to start for contacts. CERT is one of those things that you get out what you put in. After your initial trainging, you can quit and never meet again relishing in your vast aquired knowledge of community safety (lol), or you can get your group together on a regular basis for followup training, additional training, training others thru "train the trainer" and community education w/free handouts etc Good luck with it |
| EMA runs the CERT program in a way, Train the Trainer classes are done here on a state EMA /FEMA level. I will have TiT certs in two weeks. I will be starting my own team for our town. It will be interesting and a logistical headache for me, but I am trying to get our town more prepared. I have over 20 people waiting for the first CERT class for our town. |
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.