April 29, 2024 - The first-ever CSUCI Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), made
up of volunteers from campus the local community, recently completed their training
to support emergency preparedness.CERT is made up of volunteers from the community who are trained in a variety of roles
so they can assist in the event of a disaster. Volunteers are trained in:
- Residential & Community Checks Ensure family members and neighbors are safe and well following a disaster
- First Aid & Triage Providing basic first aid and triage of injured people until medical professionals arrive on scene
- Public Information Educate neighbors and peers on disaster preparedness and resources
- Traffic & Crowd Management Control the flow of people during small power outages or disasters
- Light Search & Rescue Assist, locate, and provide first aid to stranded individuals in the disaster.
Participants were required to attend six weeks of training, culminating with a final,
simulated disaster drill where they were able to put their new skills to use.
CERT is an official FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) program that offers
a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional
responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more
complex tasks.For more information contact Maggie Tougas at maggie.tougas@csuci.edu.