fresno

Copyright 2002-2011 Fresno Citizen Corps

This web-site is donated by and maintained by volunteers at no government expense.

About

Fresno Citizen Corps started CERT Fresno in late 2002 after consulting with over 100 local agencies. CERT Fresno is based on the original program created by the Los Angeles City Fire Department. This became the model later adopted by FEMA. Fresno Citizen Corps began working on creating a CERT Program for the Fresno area in September 2002.  Early in 2003 Los Angeles City Fire Department CERT Instructor Stacy Gerlich trained 37 area public safety volunteers as potential Fresno CERT Instructors. An additional 20 instructors from far parts of Central California were trained in June 2003. Over the years as the program matured, additional instructors have been trained. About 860 Graduates have completed the training to date. Classes normally have a waiting list as the training is usually oversubscribed.

Los Angeles CERT itself was created by the Los Angeles City Fire Department in 1985. LA CERT played a significant role in the Whittier Narrows Earthquake in 1987. With LA Fire's success in CERT, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) adopted LA Fire's training model. Many communities now have CERT Training across the country. CERT Los Angeles web-site is - http://www.cert-la.com

CERT Fresno is possible through community support. There was some early seed funding by a DHS FEMA Grant but continued and strong support by Fresno Police Department and Fresno Fire Department have been significant.

Fresno CERT Training is a standardized Department of Homeland Security FEMA nine-unit twenty hour course for residents of Central California. To learn more about Fresno Citizen Corps click on the link here. Fresno Citizen Corps web-site

Carla Glazebook, is Executive Director of Fresno Citizen Corps  

 Left, Fresno Citizen Corps Board meeting.

The CERT way to success - Survival depends on people helping people. Preparation and training are the keys. Since our inception we have trained over 860 residents. About 400 residents have elected to apply for team membership. Team members must pass a background check, purchase their own Personal Protective equipment, maintain compliance with NIMS Training (provided at no-charge by FEMA-EMI), volunteer for service projects and regularly attend Continued Education sessions. CERT Fresno offers select highly committed members an opportunity to support the Fresno Fire Department Rehabilitation of Firefighters on Two Alarm and larger Fire Incidents. Our response times for Rehabilitation support are no longer than 45 minutes after dispatch and in many cases around 20 minutes.

Our CERT Operational Values

Clear Objectives:

• Your own personal safety is “rule number one”
• Do the most good for the most people is “rule number two”
• Establish a unifying incident objective - have a plan.

Flexibility - “rule number three”:

• Multi-mission character, must be able to adjust to a wide variety of tasks.

Unity of effort:

• Only one person in command
• Cooperative and in concert with many others
• Observe the Chain of Command.

On-Scene initiative:

• Act quickly and decisively using training without waiting for direction from higher chain of command
• Personal initiative
• Act independently
• Maintain shared understanding.

Managed risk;

• Properly trained, equipped and maintained
• Careful assess people and capabilities against operational scenario.

Restraint:

• Position of public trust
• Do no harm
• Sensitive to needs of populations served.