Starting a CERT in Delaware

CERT is active in all counties in Delaware and offers a variety of ways to become involved – there may already be a CERT Program serving your local community, city, town, or county.

To find out about CERT in your area contact your local CERT Sponsor or DEMA Statewide CERT Coordinator.

YES – there is an active local CERT program –

• Consider joining the local team.
• Complete the CERT Application Form (Link opens in new tab)

NO – there is not a local program or not a good fit for your specific type of CERT, such as workplace, place or worship, campus, etc. 

• Consider the possibility of expanding an existing Program into your area with your closest CERT Sponsor.
• Consider starting a new CERT- see the steps below.

REMEMBER:
The CERT Sponsor in your area and the DEMA Statewide CERT Coordinator can
help as you investigate how best to start in CERT.

This FEMA document provides recommended actions and activities which work through a series of  8 Steps that build on each other to guide the development of a CERT team.

Starting a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Guidelines and Recommendations (PDF opens in new tab)

The posed questions, worksheets and activities are designed to assist you in your considerations for starting a team, including planning and developing program details with benchmarks to help you make determinations at each stage along the way. It also will help you to understand FEMA’s basic requirements for CERT Programs, CERT training and program maintenance as well as the roles and responsibilities of CERT Program Managers, Sponsor Organizations, and the CERT State Coordinator, along with other essential CERT information and requirements.

There are also Special CERT Program Guidebooks available from FEMA that provide additional considerations for specific CERT communities. Consider if using one of these better if it fits your ideas for a local program.

• Business or Workplace CERT: Workplace CERT – Starter Guide (PDF opens in new tab)
• School/ Educational Facility CERT: Campus CERT- Starter Guide (PDF opens in new tab)
• Teen CERT: Teen CERT – Launching and Maintaining the Training (PDF opens in new tab)

CERT Sponsors are critical to the success of any CERT Program or Team, and all CERT Programs are required to have a Sponsor Organization.

FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program Guide (PDF opens in new tab)

In compliance with FEMA requirements, all CERT Sponsors in Delaware must be a municipal or governmental agency or entity.  Some duties of a Sponsor include, among others:

• Determine acceptable and allowable activities for CERT Programs within their jurisdiction and assist their CERT Programs in establishing the CERT Program mission, goals, and activities that align with community needs.
• Develop policies, procedures, and documentation practices to support emergency deployment and operational activities and to ensure the program can interface with emergency service organizations.
• Hold the ultimate responsibility for their CERT Program(s) and its use (deployment) within the jurisdiction for both emergency response and non-emergency activities and is responsible to manage program risk and liability. (FEMA has produced a CERT Liability Guide PDF opens in a new tab to assist in decision making).
• Ensure CERT functions under established NIMS (National Incident Management System) and ICS (Incident Command System) and must be organized and act cooperatively through and with local and state emergency management.
• Verify CERT preparation and delivery service standards in their jurisdiction and ensure CERT training adheres to FEMA curriculum content standards, is approved by the State CERT Coordinator and meets the needs of the community.
• Must be registered with Delaware Statewide CERT and maintain a current executed Delaware Statewide CERT Sponsor Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
• Participate in active collaboration and participation in Statewide CERT Sponsor Meetings, CERT inter-Program cooperability and sharing best practices and resources. Sponsors also serve as the conduit for the equitable distribution of DEMA CERT resources and support to their CERT programs.

Your Trainings to Start a CERT

The CERT Basic Training is the foundation for all CERT Activities.

If you are working on starting a CERT, you will need to begin by attending a CERT Basic Training.

To Register, follow the link: CERT Statewide Registration/Application (Link opens in new tab)

Additional Trainings that will be required to start a CERT and which are free through FEMA from the Emergency Management Institute include:

1. IS-317.A (Link opens in new tab): Introduction to Community Emergency Response Team (CERTs)
2. IS-100 (Link opens in new tab): Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS-100
3. IS-200 (Link opens in new tab): Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response, ICS-200
4. IS-700 (Link opens in new tab): National Incident Management System, An Introduction
5. IS-800 (Link opens in new tab): National Response Framework, An Introduction

There are many additional emergency preparedness and response trainings available through FEMA, DEMA and local Emergency Management Offices.

Training for CERT Program Manager –

As you pursue the new CERT, you or one of your development team will need to undertake the role of CERT Program Manager.

All CERT Programs must have a certified CERT Program Manager who has successfully completed the FEMA CERT Program Manager K0427 (Link opens in new tab) course.

• The Program Manager is responsible for day-to-day operations and  working with the program’s Sponsoring Organization and local emergency managers to make the program run effectively.
• This training helps prepare CERT Program Managers to better understand their roles and provides best practices in operating a CERT Program.
• This is a 3-day on-line training through FEMA.
• Prerequisite for the K0427 CERT Program Manager Trainings is successful completion of the CERT Basic Training.

Additional Trainings for a CERT Program Manager include:

1. IS-100 (Link opens in new tab): Introduction to the Incident Command System, ICS-100
2. IS-200 (Link opens in new tab): Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response, ICS-200
3. IS-244 (Link opens in new tab): Developing and Managing Volunteers
4. IS-288 (Link opens in new tab): The Role of Voluntary Organizations in Emergency Management
5. IS-317 (Link opens in new tab): Introduction to Community Emergency Response Team
6. IS-505 (Link opens in new tab): Concepts of Religious Literacy for emergency Management
7. IS-700 (Link opens in new tab): National Incident Management System, An Introduction
8. IS-703 (Link opens in new tab): National Incident Management System Resource Management
9. IS-800 (Link opens in new tab): National Response Framework, An Introduction
10. IS-240 (Link opens in new tab): Leadership and Influence
11. IS-241 (Link opens in new tab): Decision Making and Problem Solving
12. IS-242 (Link opens in new tab): Effective Communication
13. IS-1300 (Link opens in new tab): Introduction to Continuity of Operations
14. IS-2200 (Link opens in new tab): Basic Emergency Operations Center Functions

CERT Basic Training for Your New CERT Program

Active CERT Programs Plan and Deliver a minimum of 1 CERT Basic Training annually.

As the foundation of the CERT Program NO CERT team exists until members have graduated from the training, so making training plans for your CERT members to participate and graduate from a CERT Basic Training is one of the staring points for your new team.

This is a 20-hour training scheduled by the CERT program and sponsor. It must adhere to the FEMA CERT  curriculum and the CERT Instructors Guide. Programs may schedule their own CERT Basic Training or cooperate with existing programs.

The DEMA State CERT Coordinator may provide support in planning and conducting CERT Basic and Advanced Training.

CERT Basic Training Participant Manual (PDF opens in new tab)
CERT Basic Training – Instructors Guide (PDF opens in new tab)

Continue working through the 8 steps in the Staring a CERT Program Guide (PDF opens in new tab) with guidance and approval from your Sponsor. Establish objectives, goals, and activities. Determine your organizational structure. Develop your Standard Operating Procedures.

Once the Sponsor and the Program agree that the program is ready, the Sponsor will notify the DEMA State CERT Coordinator of the Sponsors’ approval  and the CERT Program/Team readiness in their jurisdiction.

The DEMA Statewide CERT Coordinator will review the organization with the Sponsor ensuring integrity of the Program, meeting CERT principles, adherence to ICS and NIMS, and collaboration with local Emergency Management Offices.  The DEMA Statewide CERT Coordinator has the final approval for the registration of CERT Programs, and once review is complete and approved, will enroll the program in the National CERT Registry.

Gather your members, plan your Training, work with your sponsor, implement your plans and do…

“The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number!”