Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Guides

This library contains Guide documents created by the Committee to provide a high-level overview of various topics. These documents are fashioned after the “How To” documents your local extension office provide.

How to Use a Guide

Provides an overview of the how the various Guide documents created by the Iowa CERT Support Committee are put together and how they should be used.

Added July 2022 – How to Use a Guide Revision 2011-11-1

CERT FAQ

Provides a variety of questions that are often related to Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs and teams and their answer.

Added July 2022 – CERT FAQ Revision 2021-11-1

Responder Rehabilitation

Provides an overview and guidance for items that need to be considered with establishing responder rehabilitation capabilities.

Added September 2023 – Responder Rehab 8-23

Shelter Operations

The operation of emergency shelters helps communities provide a safe and secure place for individuals and families to stay before, during and / or after a disaster.

This document provides an overview and guidance for items that need to be considered with establishing shelter operations capabilities.

Added September 2023 – Shelter Operations 3-23

Starting a CERT Program

Provides an overview and guidance for the implementation of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs and teams.

Added September 2023 – Starting a Program 3-23

Instructing CERT Classes

CERT courses are taught by a team of instructors and subject matter experts who have the proper knowledge, expertise and familiarity with the training materials.

The Iowa Disaster Human Resource Council (IDHRC) CERT Support Committee and Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD) has developed various procedures that set the standards for CERT instructors and Basic Training classes.

This guide provides a list of these procedure documents and an overview of the procedures they cover.

Added September 2023 – Instructing CERT Classes 8-22

Program Team Overview

Provides an overview and guidance for the implementation of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs and teams. (Note: this is not for a single individual taking the training for their personal preparedness.)

Added July 2022 – Program & Teams Overview Revision 2021-11-1

Continuing Education

Provides an overview and guidance for the training and continuing education of Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs.

Added July 2022 – CERT Continuing Education Revision 2021-11-1