Prince George's County Basic CERT Training Class #001

The mission of the Office of Homeland Security is to save lives, protect property, assist the public in their time of need, and ensure the safety of our first responders through a comprehensive and integrated emergency management system, combined with professional call taking, dispatch, technical and support services. Together, we will serve our community through professional responsiveness, preparation, mitigation and recovery from all emergencies and hazards that may impact our County.The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) coordinates the County’s response to natural and man-made disasters. OEM is responsible for emergency preparedness, coordination of response and recovery activities, and mitigation planning.  OEM is the County's liaison with local, state, and federal officials in all aspects of emergency management.

Prince George's County Office of Homeland Security, Office of Emergency Management

The Prince George’s County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact the areas they preside. CERT trains residents in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. The CERT program is an official Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program and is sponsored by Prince George's County Office of Homeland Security and Office of Emergency Management. By attending CERT training classes, you will learn the skills to help save lives and protect property. At the end of training, you will be presented a certificate of completion.
 A few CERT FAQ’s:
1. Do I have to live in Prince George’s County to receive CERT training?
a. No, it is not imperative that you live in Prince George’s County to attend training. However, if you don’t live in Prince Georges County you must at least work, worship or play in Prince George’s County.
2. What is the age limit?
a. While there is no maximum age limit to receive CERT training, there is a minimum, we offer a Teen CERT program for young adults between the ages of 13 and 18. We suggest that parents attend training with those 13 to 18.
3. How long is the CERT training program?
a. The CERT training program is nine components that equates to roughly 20 hours of training. It can be taken over two 10 hour days or over the course of several weeks in two and ½ hour components. The topics in the course consist of Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Fire Suppression, Disaster Medical Operations, Light Search and Rescue Operations, CERT Organization, Disaster Psychology, Terrorism and CERT, and Course Review and Disaster Simulation Exercise.
b. Although the class start at 9 A.m. you can arrive early, the facility will be opened from 0730 through 1630.
4. Is there a cost to attend CERT?
a. No. CERT is free. In fact, if you have a group of colleagues or an organization that would like to take the training collectively together; we will coordinate with you to bring the CERT training to you and your group.
 5. What will I take away from CERT?
a. In addition to your training and knowledge, the CERT program is an official Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program. Certificates of completion are given to participants at the end of the program along with a CERT (starter-kit) backpack.
6. After training, then what?
a. In addition to our larger Prince George’s County CERT, we have several neighborhood CERT teams. Our CERT teams meet regularly to train and drill and learn more advanced techniques.

Emergency Operation Center

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