Civic on-ramps
CERT: Community Emergency Response Team
A local course in basic disaster response, run by your emergency management agency, fire department or police department. This guide covers what CERT training teaches, what it asks of you, whether volunteers are protected from liability, and how to find a class.
By Dan Whelan, founder of New World Survival
Researched from government agencies, university extension services, and other published sources. See our sources
The program
What CERT is
FEMA describes the Community Emergency Response Team program as one that “educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may occur where they live.”[1] It trains volunteers in basic disaster response skills: fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations.[1]
Ready.gov notes that “in most emergencies, a bystander, or even the victim, provides the first immediate assistance.”[2] CERT gives those first helpers training, and it gives professional responders a group of volunteers they can rely on, “allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.”[1]
Where it came from
The Los Angeles City Fire Department developed the CERT concept in 1985. FEMA says the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake “confirmed the need for training civilians to meet their immediate needs,” and CERT became a national program in 1993.[1]
Today there are CERT programs in all 50 states, plus many tribal nations and U.S. territories. FEMA counts more than 3,200 local programs and more than 600,000 people trained since the program went national.[1]
Who runs it near you
CERT follows a consistent national approach, but the classes are run locally. FEMA’s introductory course says that to become a CERT volunteer, “you must complete the classroom training offered by a local government agency such as the emergency management agency, fire or police department.”[3]
That is why schedules, ages and requirements differ from one county to the next. The sections below show what several real programs say, so you know what to ask yours.
The course
What CERT Basic Training covers
FEMA publishes the CERT Basic Training as “research-validated guidance” that teaches members “what to do before, during and after the hazards their communities may face.”[1] Local programs teach it from FEMA’s instructor guides and participant manuals.[1]
The units, as Utah teaches them
Utah’s state emergency management office lists the basic course in nine units.[4] Hours and scheduling vary by program, as the time and cost table below shows.
Unit 1
Disaster Preparedness
Unit 2
CERT Organization
Units 3 and 4
Disaster Medical Operations
Unit 5
Disaster Psychology
Unit 6
Fire Safety and Utility Controls
Unit 7
Light Search and Rescue Operations and Victim Care
Unit 8
Terrorism and Hazardous Materials Safety
Unit 9
Course Review, Final Exam, and Disaster Simulation
What you come away able to do
Ready.gov sums up the skills this way: you learn to “put out small fires, conduct light search and rescue, assist those who are injured, set up medical treatment areas, assist emergency responders, identify and anticipate hazards, reduce fire hazards in the home and workplace, and help reduce survivor stress.”[2]
Safety runs through all of it. Fairfax County’s program says “CERT members are taught to assess the scene and only respond if it is safe to do so.”[7] This page describes the course; it does not teach the medical, fire or rescue skills, which belong in a hands-on class with an instructor.
If the fire safety unit sends you shopping
If the course leaves you wanting an extinguisher at home, our fire extinguisher handbook explains the types, the sizes and where to keep one.
Is this for you
Who can take CERT training
The programs we checked are open to adults, and some limit the course to people who live, work or worship in the area. Fairfax County puts it plainly: “Anyone 18 years or older can attend the training without restrictions. We routinely have trainees in their 70s to 80s.”[7]
If you have a disability or a mobility limit, call the program coordinator before you register and ask whether and how hands-on exercises can be adapted.
Age rules differ by program
| Program | Adults | Teens |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico (state)[6] | 18 or older | 16 to 17 with a parent or guardian |
| Fairfax County, Virginia[7] | 18 or older | 16 to 17 with written permission; 13 to 15 with a parent in the same class |
| Dublin, California[9] | 18 or older | 14 to 17 with a parent or guardian |
| York County, Virginia[8] | 18 or older, plus a prerequisite | Not listed; participants must be 18 or older |
Teen, campus and workplace versions
FEMA offers versions of CERT for teens, college campuses and workplaces.[1] A Teen CERT, FEMA says, “can support a school’s emergency operations plan and assist emergency services personnel.”[1]
Campus and workplace teams aim to increase preparedness and resilience on a campus or at a job site.[1] If your employer or school has a program, ask whether it is open to you.
Time and cost
How long it takes and what it costs
The hours depend on the program, so here is what several of them actually say. Four list the training as free; the others do not state a cost.
| Program | Course length | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Ready.gov (national)[2] | About 20 hours | Not stated |
| New Jersey (state)[5] | About 20 hours, in 2 to 4 hour modules | Free, including materials and equipment |
| New Mexico (state)[6] | About 18 to 20 hours of classroom instruction | Free registration |
| Utah (state)[4] | 24 to 30 hours of classroom training | Not stated |
| Fairfax County, Virginia[7] | 25 hours, plus a final exercise | Free, with a backpack of basic gear to keep |
| Dublin, California[9] | 20 hours over an evening and two Saturdays | Free registration |
Several of the programs we checked spread sessions over weeks, often in the evening, with a hands-on exercise at the end. York County, for example, runs sessions of about 3 hours, “typically 7-8 evenings, once a week, and two Saturdays in the last two weeks.”[8]
Ongoing commitment also varies. Fairfax County says “there are no long-term obligations following CERT Basic Training,”[7] and FEMA calls program drills “excellent opportunities” for refreshing “the concepts and skills learned in CERT training.”[1]
Getting started
How to join a CERT program
Five steps, from your own front door to a finished course.
-
Get your own household ready first
CERT’s first unit is disaster preparedness, and Utah lists preparedness and self-reliance among the course’s core values.[4] Start with the first 72 hours so your family is covered before you train to help others.
One evening to start
-
Find the program that serves you
FEMA’s advice is to “contact your local emergency manager to learn about the local education and training opportunities available to you.”[3] New Jersey suggests asking your municipal emergency management coordinator whether a program is active in your community.[5] A fire department’s non-emergency line is another place to ask.
A phone call or two
-
Complete the course and the final exercise
Attend the sessions and the closing disaster simulation.[4] Ask your coordinator how the team stays in touch afterward and how members are activated.
About 18 to 30 hours
After the course
What CERT volunteers actually do
Between emergencies, CERT work can include drills and outreach, depending on the program. Ready.gov’s description of Teen CERT gives a sense of the range. Teams may “participate in disaster drills and exercises, present fire safety education, assist in preparedness outreach,” among other roles.[2]
In an emergency, a team works under the direction of its sponsoring agency. Ready.gov’s Teen CERT page lists roles such as helping to “organize volunteers, assist in evacuations, give assistance to survivors, provide damage assessment information, provide shelter support, and assist with crowd control.”[2]
Protection and coverage
Are CERT volunteers protected from liability?
Sometimes, and it depends on your state. FEMA publishes a CERT Liability Guide; it notes that it does not provide legal advice and encourages people to consult a legal advisor or risk manager.[10]
The guide finds that “neither the law nor insurance provides absolute protection to CERT programs and their members.”[10] Members may be covered by a local government’s or sponsoring agency’s liability and workers’ compensation insurance “in some activities, but not in others. Or they may not be covered at all.”[10]
State emergency laws often require that a volunteer be “registered with, accepted by, or working under the direction of a state or local emergency management agency,” and some states cover drills while others cover only declared emergencies.[10] The federal Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 can shield volunteers of nonprofit organizations and government entities from personal liability for harm they cause, under conditions such as acting within the scope of their role and not acting with gross negligence, but FEMA’s guide calls its protection “only limited.”[10][11]
States add their own programs. California, for example, gives workers’ compensation benefits to registered Disaster Service Worker volunteers injured during authorized disaster activities, including pre-approved training, and the program “also provides limited immunity from liability.”[12]
Questions to ask your program
- Am I registered as a volunteer with the emergency management agency, and is that registration current?
- Am I covered for injuries during training and drills, or only during activations?
- Does the sponsoring agency’s liability insurance cover CERT members, and in which activities?
- How am I activated, and what should I do if I see a need before I am called?
Common questions
CERT training questions
Is CERT training free?
The programs we checked that state a cost all list the basic course as free, including New Jersey, New Mexico, Fairfax County and Dublin, California.[5][6][7][9] Ask your local program, since costs are set locally.
How long is CERT training?
Usually about 18 to 30 hours, depending on the program. Ready.gov says it takes about 20 hours, while Utah lists 24 to 30 hours of classroom training.[2][4]
Can I take CERT training online?
Only the introduction. FEMA’s free IS-317 course takes about 2 hours, but FEMA says it “is not equivalent to, and cannot be used in place of, the classroom delivery of the CERT Basic training.”[3]
Can teenagers join CERT?
Yes, in many places. FEMA offers a Teen CERT version, and local programs set the ages; New Mexico, for example, accepts 16 and 17 year olds with a parent or guardian.[1][6]
Are CERT volunteers protected from liability?
Sometimes, and it depends on your state. FEMA’s CERT Liability Guide says “neither the law nor insurance provides absolute protection to CERT programs and their members,” so ask your program how you are registered and covered.[10]
Primary sources
Where this guide’s facts come from
Each source was opened and read on October 13, 2026. Program details such as hours, ages and costs are set locally and change, so treat the program examples as examples and confirm with your own program.
- FEMA, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) (last updated April 22, 2026). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- Ready.gov, Teen CERT (last updated February 21, 2025). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- FEMA Emergency Management Institute, IS-317.A: Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams (course date May 1, 2020). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- Be Ready Utah, Utah Division of Emergency Management, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, CERT Training (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Community Emergency Response Teams (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- York County, Virginia, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- City of Dublin, California, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- FEMA, CERT Liability Guide (PDF). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- 42 U.S.C. Chapter 139, Volunteer Protection (Volunteer Protection Act of 1997) (U.S. Code, 2023 edition). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Disaster Service Worker Volunteer Program (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- FEMA, Volunteer and Donate (last updated April 20, 2026). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- National Weather Service, SKYWARN (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- 47 CFR 97.503, Element standards (FCC amateur radio exam rules) (eCFR, current). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- ARRL, Getting Your Technician License (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
- American Red Cross, Volunteer Opportunities (web page). Accessed October 13, 2026.
Continue reading
What’s next
Community
Civic On-Ramps
CERT, Red Cross, SKYWARN, amateur radio and volunteer fire, compared.
Skills
First Aid Certification
Which first aid course to take and what certification involves.
Community
Communication Tree
A call list for your block that still works when cell service is down.
Communications
Ham Radio for Emergency Preparedness
The license, the radios and how amateur radio fits a household plan.