City of Lakewood, Ohio - Division of Fire

Lakewood Division of Fire
Lawrence Mroz Fire Chief Station 1: 14601 Madison Avenue Station 2: 18124 Detroit Avenue Station 3: 12567 Clifton Boulevard Lakewood, Ohio 44107 (216) 529-6656 Email Lakewood Fire Department

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

CERT training promotes a partnering effort between emergency services and the people that they serve. The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations, or workplaces in basic response skills.

People who go through CERT training have a better understanding of the potential threats to their home, workplace and community and can take the right steps to lessen the effects of these hazards on themselves, their homes or workplace. If a disastrous event overwhelms or delays the community's professional response, CERT members can assist others by applying the basic response and organizational skills that they learned during training.

The primary reason for CERT training is to give people the decision-making, organizational and practical skills to offer immediate assistance to family members, neighbors and associates while waiting for help. While people will respond to others in need without the training, the goal of the CERT program is to help people do so effectively and efficiently without placing themselves in unnecessary danger.

The CERT material was developed by the Los Angeles City Fire Department and adoped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 1993.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Lakewood CERT Team, please contact the Lakewood Division of Fire at (216) 529-6657.

For more information, click here for the Lakewood Community Emergency Response Team Website.