Lutz CERT
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Classes
See below for scheduled classes
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the 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. CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, which allows them to focus on more complex tasks. Through CERT, the capabilities to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters is built and enhanced.
CERT volunteers are trained to respond safely, responsibly, and effectively to emergency situations, but they can also support their communities during non-emergency events as well.
Through hands-on practice and realistic exercises, CERT members:
- Learn how to safely respond to manmade and natural hazards
- Help organize basic disaster response
- Promote preparedness by hosting and participating in community events
The CERT Basic Course is delivered in the community by a team of first responders, and other qualified volunteers. The organization and timing of training and meeting varies from program to program. It is often broken up into two to four hour blocks over a series of evenings or weekends.
- Disaster Preparedness: Addresses hazards specific to the community. Materials cover actions that participants and their families take before, during and after a disaster as well as an overview of CERT and local laws governing volunteers.
- Fire Suppression: Covers fire chemistry, hazardous materials, fire hazards and fire suppression strategies. However, the thrust of this session is the safe use of fire extinguishers, controlling utilities and extinguishing a small fire.
- Medical Operations Part I: Participants practice diagnosing and treating airway obstruction, bleeding and shock by using simple triage and rapid treatment techniques.
- Medical Operations Part II: Covers evaluating patients by doing a head to toe assessment, establishing a medical treatment area and performing basic first aid.
- Light Search and Rescue Operations: Participants learn about search and rescue planning, size-up, search techniques, rescue techniques and rescuer safety.
- Psychology and Team Organization: Covers signs and symptoms that might be experienced by the disaster victim and workers, and addresses CERT organization and management.
- Course Review and Disaster Simulation: Participants review and practice the skills that they have learned during the previous six sessions in a disaster activity.
During each session participants are required to bring safety equipment (gloves, goggles, mask) and disaster supplies (bandages, flashlight, dressings) which will be used during the session. By doing this for each session, participants are building a disaster response kit of items that they will need during a disaster.
This free class is sponsored by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and Hillsborough EOC through FEMA.
It is a 20 hour class that will be taught evenings and a Saturday or two.
The class will be free but advance registration is mandatory, and a registration form will be provided. After completion of the class you may officially join a local CERT, or you may put the information in your toolbox to help keep yourself and your family safe in disaster situations such as the aftermath of a hurricane.
The CERT program emphasizes that residents should tend to themselves and their family and home first, then check on their neighbors, followed by expanding out into their community, and then activate through the EOC if requested and their family has been cared for and secured. Safety of CERT members is of primary concern throughout all CERT operations.
CERT Class Schedule:
The next CERT Basics class will be held in the January, 2019 in preparation for the 2019 Hurricane season.
The dates are Tuesdays and Thursdays: January 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31.
Class times are 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Location is the Hillsborough County EOC (Emergency Operations Center) Room 201.
9450 E. Columbus Dr. Tampa, FL 33619
You must attend all sessions to be a certified CERT volunteer.
The class is FREE but you must register in advance.
You must pre-register for each class by sending an email to the instructor below with your name, email, phone, and address, optional - please list any search and rescue, medical, or fire fighting experience.
Then go to the FloridaDisaster.org website at
https://trac.floridadisaster.org/TRAC/loginform.aspx and create a State profile. Then log in and Select the G-317 class on January 15 and register online for that course. Use Hillsborough County as your Organization and put yourself as the supervisor so you can approve yourself for the class. This will get you officially into the State Registry so we can produce your Certification and Badge at the end of the class.
No experience is needed to attend the class, and all of the techniques are easy to learn and remember.
More info is available on the FEMA website at:
https://www.ready.gov/community-emergency-response-team
If you have any questions please contact Instructor:
Bob Donaghy
CPR Training Center Tampa, LLC
Lutz, FL
813-334-7412
rdonaghy@tampabay.rr.com
http://cprtrainingcentertampa.com
Train at your location!
If you would like to host a CERT class for your organization, contact Instructor Bob Donaghy at rdonaghy@tampabay.rr.com
Note: These are hands on classes in which you will practice doing the life saving actions. They include lecture, video and hands on practice.
To take the free FEMA classes you need to get a FEMA user id.
Go to https://trac.floridadisaster.org/TRAC/trainingcalendar.aspx
Click Sign In
First Time Users
A profile must be created to apply for events |
Registration is a 3 step process. |
Then you can browse the Calendar or the Course Catalog to what is available.
For the CERT class being offered FREE in October at Jimmie B Keel Library, you will register here after emailing you requested info to Instructor Bob Donaghy per LutzCERT.org. G-317 is the live class being offered in our area, and will beposted on SERT TRAC soon.
Contact Bob Donaghy at 813-334-7412 or rdonaghy@tampabay.rr.com
Visit us on Facebook @LutzCERT