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Fire Department receives from the Department of Homeland Security. The basic course (Level 1) is one
night a week for 8 weeks. The classes are generally from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm and are taught by instructors
from the Fire Department and CERT members who have been trained as instructors. The basic course
covers 1) Introduction to Disaster Awareness; 2) Fire Safety Techniques; 3) Disaster Medical (2 weeks); 4)
Light Search and Rescue Operations; 5) Team Organization and Management (uses the ICS format) which
includes sizing up the problem and disaster psychology; 6) Terrorism - what it is, what kind of weapons they
are, B-NICE indicators and CERT protocols for terrorist incidents. The final review is a drill which teams up
the class into groups and goes through a disaster drill. Many people stop here and don't wish to go to a
more advanced level. If you do:
ADVANCED TRAINING for Level 2 requires the completion of 2 red cross classes. Disaster Services
Overview and Shelter Operations. In addition NIMS IS-100, 200, 700 AND 800 courses are required. A
back ground check may be required.
ADVANCED TRAINING for Level 3 requires the completion of the First Responder Emergency Response
first aid Course (either ARC Emergency Response or ASHI First Responder Course and CPR for the
Professional Rescuer. Licensing as an EMT, or health care professional also qualifies you for this level.
INSTRUCTOR: This is a 24 hour course and are scheduled throughout the State.
OTHER ADVANCED TRAINING INVOLVES: an 8 hour module on Urban Wild-land Fires; a 4 hour course
on Hazardous Materials Awareness; a 4 hour course in Traffic Control, and 10 hours of training on
Flooding and Swift Water Awareness,and many other things including assisting owners of animals in the
event of an evacuation and Pet First Aid. We have recently added classes on Helicopter Safety and Auto
Extrication for our Level 3 CERT members. The schedule of classes available is listed on the Schedule
page.
US&R - CA TASK FORCE 7
Some of the area CERT members have also been trained by the California Task Force 7 Urban Search
and Rescue Team from Sacramento to assist with their deployment and return whenever they are deployed
by FEMA to a natural disaster or terrorist event. Currently we are the only CERT team in the United States
to have received this training. In addition we have other training in skills with the USAR team.
RADIO COMMUNICATIONS GROUP:
We also have a Communications group. They are all CERT trained licensed Ham Radio operators that
would be very beneficial to the community in a disaster. Many of them have been deployed around the
United States to disasters with National Ham Radio groups.
CHAPLAINCY PROGRAM
The Sacramento City Fire Department has also started a CERT Chaplaincy Program. This group is made
up of ordained ministers, priests, or rabbis, volunteer ministers from a recognized church, or a minister
from a church that does not ordain their ministers. Their purpose is to serve the needs of the CERT
members both at a time of disaster and in a non-disaster setting if needed. The CERT chaplaincy
members must complete the basic CERT training to be eligible to be a CERT chaplain.
ANIMAL RESPONSE COMPONENT
We have recently added an animal response component and equipped an animal response trailer. The
purpose of this group is to assist owners in the evacuation of their animals in the event of a disaster.
During Hurricane Katrina many people died because they would not leave their animals and evacuate their
homes. The volunteers participating in this group must complete the basic CERT course and some
advanced training on CERT animal response and Pet First Aid.
The City CERT is organized into Battalions depending on their zip code of residence. It gives the members
a chance to get to know everyone else in their area, meet and plan what they would do in the event that
something were to happen in their area. Those belonging to the City CERT and residing outside the city
limits are welcome to associate with the closest group to their residence and to be an active member of
CERT.
We operate under the ICS system on a daily basis as well as in the event of a call out. Sacramento CERT
has an operations manual that covers all of the training, uniforms and everything pertaining to the
operation of the CERT teams, and a Procedure manual that covers other types of things we do and a code
of conduct for the various positions. A copy of these documents along with the ICS charts can be found on
the contacts page.
This page updated June 11, 2011