Carlsbad CERT
Given the region’s persistent threat from wildfire, and the potential risks from earthquake, pandemic flu or other natural or man-made disasters, the Carlsbad Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer program plays a key role in the City of Carlsbad’s goal to advance community safety. When large-scale incidents occur, CERTs provide neighbor-helping-neighbor assistance before the arrival of Carlsbad firefighters, police or other first responders.
Carlsbad’s City Council approved development of a CERT program, in April 2008. Approximately 100 CERT volunteers have completed training. Carlsbad CERT volunteers are trained in basic first aid, light search and rescue and small fire suppression, and are closely associated with Carlsbad’s Fire Department. CERT volunteer response actions are directed by the city’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. They play a large role in community safety and emergency preparedness awareness and public outreach. Carlsbad CERT volunteers are easily recognizable by their green polo shirts and city picture ID, worn when conducting public outreach, or their green helmets and vests worn while performing emergency incident response actions. Carlsbad CERT’s purpose is to assist the Carlsbad community and residents in emergency preparedness and response. CERT volunteers may not self-deploy, or activate without proper approval. The program is primarily intended for Carlsbad residents.
Specific roles and responsibilities include, but may not be limited to:
- Assist neighbors in the event of an emergency
- Community assistance
- Communications support
- Shelter and logistics support
- Special needs support
- Events and non-incident related projects
- Emergency communication and information dissemination
- Emergency preparedness support and outreach
- Knowledge of Carlsbad-specific hazards
- Knowledge of Carlsbad emergency operation plans and procedures
- Family emergency preparedness procedures and kits
- Business and school emergency preparedness procedures and kits
- Community hazard identification and reporting
- Household hazard identification
- Basic household fire suppression techniques
- Basic first aid
- Basic patient assessment and triage
- Basic search and rescue “sizeup” planning
- Basic damage assessment and reporting
- Evacuation and evacuation site administrative and logistic support
- Care and shelter operations
- Special needs population emergency preparedness and response support
- Special event emergency preparedness
CERT members do not:
- Suppress large fires
- Enter heavily damaged or dangerous structures
- Perform hazardous material cleanup or respond to biological, chemical or radiological hazards
- Perform fire, search and rescue or medical operations beyond their training
- Activate or deploy unless directed to do so by the city's emergency preparedness coordinator
- Replace professional first responders