Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates people about emergency preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and lives and trains them in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, teamwork and first aid.
Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist their family members, neighbors and their community following an event when professional responders are not immediately available.
CERT members are critical to our mountain communities because of our remote location. In a major event (earthquake) there is a likelihood we could be “cut off” from immediate help from responders off the “Hill.”
Currently we have approximately 100 CERT volunteers as members of MDP. Depending on their personal availability, that number may not be sufficient.
CERT training classes are offered several times a year by Idyllwild Fire Protection District and Riverside County.
Classes consist of 16 hours of individualized training and are usually held on Thursday and Friday evenings, a full day on Saturday with certification on Sunday.
If interested in CERT training, please complete the form below for class schedule.
NOTE: There are a number of functions CERT members perform during an emergency. Age and physical fitness should not be a deterant.