Santa Clara County Teen CERT

WANT TO JOIN TEEN CERT?  Here are the steps you can take now to be more prepared for disasters and help your community in the meantime!

1. Visit LAHCFD website and fill out the Teen CERT Interest form

2. Have your parents read the Parent Approval Letter

3. Fill out the Risk Waiver Form

4. Fill out the Academy Google Form

Note: Completion of the online course is not necessary for the January 2024 Academy Day

Teen CERT Election information on the Meet the Board page.

What is it?

The Teen Community Emergency Response Team, also known as CERT, is a group of 30+ teens who have been trained to respond when an emergency occurs. As a branch of FEMA’s National CERT program, it aims to educate youth about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area. Teen CERT members are trained in basic emergency response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and medical operations. Using skills learned in classroom and training, Teen CERT members can assist others during an emergency before first responders can arrive on the scene. Across the country, local CERT programs provide training and support for all sectors of the community—our chapter is the first teenage targeted chapter in Santa Clara County.

Community Service!

Teen CERT teams help provide critical support by giving immediate assistance to victims, providing damage assessment information, and organizing other volunteers at a disaster site. Teen volunteers trained in CERT also offer a potential workforce for performing duties such as shelter support, crowd control, and evacuation. Teen CERT encourages teamwork and help teens gain leadership skills. Teen CERT provides a way for high schoolers to gain Community Service hours!

How do I become an official Teen CERT Disaster Service Worker?

Once you have signed up for the program and completed the Teen CERT orientation, you will complete an online course. This course takes up to 18 hours, with 9 units including a final exam. The units are as follows: 

1. Disaster Preparedness

2. The CERT Organization

3. Disaster Medical Operations Part 1

4. Disaster Medical Operations Part 2

5. Disaster Psychology

6. Fire Safety and Utility Control

7. Light Search and Rescue

8. Terrorism and CERT

9. Final Exam

You will learn how to handle emergencies at a basic level. The online course is comprehensive and prepares you for the Skills Day.

The final step to becoming an official Disaster Service Worker is to participate in the Skills Day, this is where students will get the chance for hands-on practice for all they have learned during the online course. It is a very engaging and low-key day of fun activities, after which members will receive a certificate and badge making them Official Disaster Service Workers.

Note: Completion of the online course is not necessary for the January 2024 Academy Day