What would you do if a major disaster struck and help wasn’t immediately available? Since its establishment in 1999, more than 3,000 people who live or work in Irvine have taken part in the City of Irvine’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. More than 2,000 of those graduates remain active volunteers.
For more than two decades, CERT has helped residents gain the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills they need to prepare for emergencies — and to help themselves, their families, and their neighbors when it matters most.
In a City that spans 66 square miles, emergency services may be delayed or overwhelmed in a catastrophic disaster — for example, a major earthquake — leaving residents to care for themselves and their neighbors. CERT training helps bridge that gap by teaching participants how to be more self-reliant and prepared to safely navigate the days and weeks following a large-scale event.
More than just a classroom course, CERT is an eye-opening, hands-on experience that can change the way you think about emergency preparedness. Participants learn practical skills that could help protect loved ones, assist neighbors, save lives, and ultimately reduce the impact of a disaster on the entire community.
There’s no better time to prepare than before an emergency happens. Irvine’s next CERT training program begins on Tuesday (September 1st) and features eight hands-on courses designed to give participants the skills and confidence to respond effectively during an emergency. Sessions are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30pm to 9pm.
The program covers a wide range of essential topics, including:
- Disaster preparedness and emergency planning
- Fire safety and fire suppression
- Basic first aid and medical triage
- Light search and rescue
- Utility controls and safety
- Disaster psychology
- Hazardous materials and terrorism awareness
- Team organization and emergency response
- Hands-on disaster simulation that puts your training into practice
By preparing yourself, you’re also helping build a stronger, safer, and more resilient Irvine — one neighbor at a time.
Learn more about the CERT program and register for the September training session here. Registration closes on Saturday (August 29th).
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