Campus Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT)

The University of Iowa Emergncy Medical Services Student Interest Organization offers our members a unique and exclusive opportunity to be a member of the CCERT team at the University of Iowa. This course, available only to our members through Department of Public Safety, helps prepare individuals to act in the case of an emergency.

What is Campus CERT?

The Campus Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is designed to prepare staff and students to help themselves, their family (friends), and their neighbors (local residents) in the event of a disaster. Because emergency services personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, students can make a difference by using the training to save lives and protect property.

This training covers basic skills that are important to know in a disaster when emergency services are not available. With training and practice and by working as a team, staff and students will be able to do the greatest good for the greatest number after a disaster, while protecting themselves from becoming a victim.

This training is not intended for First Responders (Police, Fire, EMS) as they already have a background in the subject area. When emergencies occur, 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 campus community. Eastern Michigan University's Health and Safety Office, is coordinating and implementing the training for Campus Community Emergency Response Team volunteers to respond to any type of emergency situation. This department will maintain and manage a database of all volunteer members of this CERT program in case of an emergency.

Each CERT member will receive training in the following areas:
• Emergency Preparedness
• Fire Safety
• Emergency Medical Operations
• CERT organization
• Disaster Psychology
• Terrorism and CERT
• Course Review and Disaster Simulation

About Cert

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, using the model created by the Los Angeles City Fire Department, began promoting nationwide use of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept in 1994. Since then, CERT's have been established in hundreds of communities. 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. CERT members are then integrated into the emergency response capability for their area. 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. These skills can help save and sustain lives following a disaster until help arrives. CERT skills also apply to daily emergencies.

CERT members maintain and refine their skills by participating in exercises and activities. They can attend supplemental training opportunities offered by the sponsoring agency and others that further their skills base. Finally, CERT members can volunteer for projects that improve community emergency preparedness.