Firefighters and Citizens Working Together to Build Safer Communities

During the first few hours and days after a disaster strikes, emergency services could be overwhelmed, leaving families, neighborhoods and businesses on their own for hours or days.

After the devastating Cedar fire of October 2003, the City of San Diego sought new solutions to meet this vital need. A new community based program called Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) was developed by the Fire-Rescue department. CERT San Diego helped citizens become a part of the solution in their own communities. The program took advantage of the outpouring of volunteers that that offered to help in disasters such as the Cedar fire, earthquakes and 9/11.

San Diego Fire-Rescue personnel train and empower citizens in safe, effective neighborhood CERT teams. CERT San Diego instructors teach citizens to take life-saving action to help families, neighbors, businesses and communities get through the first few hours or days when emergency services are overwhelmed.

Volunteer
• Who joins CERT?
• CERT San Diego Volunteers
• Coverage Maps

Classes
• CERT San Diego Tuition-free Classes
• Schedule
• Registration/Location

Business
• Business Emergency Response Team (BERT)

Community
• Community Outreach

News/Visuals
• CERT in The News
• Photo Gallery

Procedures/Resources
• Useful Links
• Procedure Documents
• City of San Diego Office of Homeland Security
• Establish a Family Disaster Plan/Build a Disaster Supplies Kit

Contact Information

For more information about CERT San Diego, please email Carie DeMarco-Krzys, Program Manager, at cert@sandiego.gov or call (619) 692-4988.