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Fire Department receives from the Department of Homeland Security. The basic course (Level 1) is one
night a week for 7 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 3 red cross classes. Fullfilling Our Mission;
Community Services Overview; and Shelter Operations. In addition NIMS IS-100, 200 and 700 courses are
required in addition to the State SEMS Introductory Course and a DOJ background check.
ADVANCED TRAINING for Level 3 requires the completion of either the Title 22 Public Safety First Aid
Course or the First Responder Emergency Response first aid 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 is scheduled in Sacramento when attendance requires it. .
OTHER ADVANCED TRAINING INVOLVES: an 8 hour module on Urban Wild-land Fires; a 4 hour course on
Hazardous Materials Awareness; a 3 hour course in Traffic Control, and 8 hours of training on Flooding
and Swift Water Awareness, knot tying, the use of ropes, and many other things.
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.
We also have a Ham Radio 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.
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.
The City CERT is organized into Battalions depending on their zip code of residence. For those residing
outside of the city limits, the battalion organization gives the members a chance to get together and train
and socialize. In a real situation in their area they would be there to be of assistance to whatever
jurisdiction is in charge of that particular location if they were at home.
Sacramento CERT has an operations manual that covers all of the training, uniforms and everything
pertaining to the operation of the CERT teams. It can be found on the contacts/info page.
