Volunteer Zone

More than 5 million Califorians donate their time and energy in their communities. Among these volunteers are those who focus their efforts on helping their communities recover after disasters and prepare ahead of future ones. Thousands of hours have been given to pass along the gift of disaster preparedness, to bring food and resources to those in need, and much, much more to make California a stronger, safer place. 

The incredibly valuable work volunteers do every day is exemplified by California’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program, which educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. More than 450 teams operate locally to help their communities when disaster strikes, making the California CERT program the most robust in the nation. 

CERT programs organize and deploy volunteers who are trained to meet national standards for responding smartly and safely during disasters. CERT volunteers not only help neighbors directly but also by providing aid that professional responders can rely on in disaster situations to streamline and multiply their work.

Listos California and the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) partner with CERT to bring training programs around the state. Because CERT members come from the local community, the program plays an important role in responding to disasters in a way that reflects the needs and challenges of every community. Learn more with this look inside a CERT training class and disaster simulation in Tuolumne County in the video below.

The 2023 National CERT Convention will convene this summer in the Bay Area. Unique pre-conference training opportunities run June 26-28. The main conference, June 29 – July 1, offers subject matter experts discussing hot topics and introducing new ideas for building more inclusivity into teams. Learn more about the conference or register to attend it here.