CERT of CALCASIEU PARISH
Our Mission
The CERT of Calcasieu Parish Program is part of Citizen Corps, whose
purpose is to educate community members about natural hazards and
the potential of terrorism events that could strike them. Community
members are considered to be part of the response capability for
their neighborhood or workplace.
Organizational Profile
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program helps train
people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in
their communities. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give
critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance
to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site.
CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help
improve the safety of the community.
The CERT course is taught in the community by a trained team of
first responders who have completed a CERT Train-the-Trainer course
coordinated by their local emergency management agency. CERT
training includes disaster preparedness, disaster fire suppression,
basic disaster medical operations, and light search and rescue
operations.
The CERT program is about readiness, people helping people, rescuer
safety, and doing the greatest amount of good for the greatest
number of people. CERT is a positive and realistic approach to
emergency and disaster situations where citizens will be initially
on their own and their actions can make a difference. Through
training, citizens can manage utilities and put out small fires;
treat the three killers which are opening airways, controlling
bleeding, and treating for shock, and provide basic medical aid;
search for and rescue victims safely; and organize themselves and
spontaneous volunteers to be effective.
The CERT Program is part of Citizen Corps, whose purpose is to
educate community members about natural hazards and the potential of
terrorism events that could strike them. Community members are
considered to be part of the response capability for their
neighborhood or workplace. They participate in 20 hours of basic
training and continue their involvement by attending supplemental
training, participating in exercises, and volunteering for emergency
management projects to better prepare their community for hazards.
Participants learn basic response skills that they can apply after a
natural disaster when professional response resources are
overwhelmed or delayed. Modules include Disaster Preparedness; Fire
Suppression; Disaster Medical Operations Part I and II, Light Search
and Rescue; Disaster Psychology; Team Organization; and Disaster
Simulation. An orientation module on terrorism and weapons of mass
destruction is being added. CERT members are encouraged to train and
exercise as teams within their neighborhood or workplace. Educate
community members about natural/man-made hazards including terrorism
that may strike their community. Organize neighborhood and workplace
response teams to respond to immediate needs following an event when
professional response resources are delayed or overwhelmed. Train
teams in basic response and decision-making skills that can be used
to protect themselves and to help others.
Educate community members about natural/man-made hazards including
terrorism that may strike their community
Organize neighborhood and workplace response teams to respond to
immediate needs following an event when professional response
resources are delayed or overwhelmed.
Train teams in basic response and decision-making skills that can be
used to protect themselves and to help others.