Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)

When disaster strikes, will you know what to do?  Could you put out a small fire using a fire extinguisher?  Do you have basic medical skills to help an injured family member? 

The City offers training in basic disaster preparedness and response skills to Mercer Island residents and businesses. The program is known nationally as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.

Gain Confidence and Be Empowered to Help Others

CERT trains and organizes volunteers to assist families, neighbors, co-workers, and other community members during emergencies. In a disaster, professional responders and resources will be stretched thin and may not be immediately available to provide assistance. Through CERT, participants will learn:

• Emergency preparedness
• Common hazards to Mercer Island and the Puget Sound
• Fire safety skills
• Disaster medical operations
• Light search and rescue
• Team organization
• And more

The goal of CERT and the City's emergency management volunteer program is to make the Mercer Island community safer, more prepared, and more resilient.

Everyone, regardless of age or abilities, can be CERT trained and contribute to the CERT program.

2024 CERT Program

The 2024 CERT Program is scheduled for November 15-17. The new weekend course will offer Mercer Island residents and businesses the opportunity to take the full CERT program over the course of one weekend vs. 9-week. Registration for the course has closed. Contact emergencymanagement@mercerisland.gov with questions.

Beyond CERT

After participants graduate from the CERT program, they are welcome to volunteer with City's Emergency Management programs by becoming a badged volunteer. Interested and badged volunteers fill critical roles by assisting the City before, during, and outside of disasters, and serving as volunteer leads within the Emergency Management program. Badged volunteers may also be eligible to assist other communities and jurisdictions when disaster strikes. Once badged, volunteers are able to:

• Serve as a community resource for programs like Map Your Neighborhood
• Mitigate hazards before and during a disaster or emergency
• Respond to disasters
• Augment the resources of professional responders
• Assist other communities and jurisdictions when disaster strikes their area
• Help run shelters (with additional training)

Additional training is available through the City, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute, Red Cross, and more.

Volunteer Spotlight

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Emergency Management badged volunteers were an asset to the community, serving in the call center, handing out face masks, and helping at vaccination sites. Become a volunteer today!