Fairfax County Community Emergency Response Team CERT is a national program created by FEMA to make communities safer, more prepared, and when incidents occur, more resilient in recovery. CERT is a partnership between the Federal and Fairfax County Governments and is managed by the County’s Fire and Rescue Department. Local CERT programs train and organize teams of volunteers to assist their families, neighbors, co-workers, and other community members during emergencies when professional responders may not be immediately available to provide assistance. CERT volunteers also support their communities by organizing, promoting, and participating in emergency preparedness event, activities, and projects. To become a CERT volunteer you must attend a 24-hour CERT Basic Training course.
WHY GET TRAINED?
Be prepared to help during a personal or community-wide incident or disaster. CERT training is challenging, fun, and FREE. We provide you with a backpack with personal protective equipment and disaster response supplies to get you started on preparedness.
WHEN AND WHERE IS THE TRAINING?
We offer CERT classes at various community locations throughout the county by request, from various business and community groups. Many of our Advanced and Continuing Education classes are held at the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy located at 4600 West Ox Road in Fairfax, VA.
WHO ARE THE TRAINERS?
CERT training is provided by the dedicated volunteer instructors of the CERT Program. Many of which were just like you a few years ago. Occasionally, adjunct instructors of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy are engaged to provide technically challenging courses.
WHO CAN TAKE CERT TRAINING?
Anyone who lives, works, or travels in Fairfax County, Virginia is eligible to take this FREE Emergency Response training. If you are:
- 18 years of age or older.
- 17 to 16 years old with parental or guardian permission.
- 15 to 13 years old with a parent or guardian also participating.
People of varying physical abilities and languages are welcome and can be accommodated.
CLASS SIZES ARE LIMITED
During the COVID pandemic this training is even more vital. But it must also be safe for you and our instructors. So the class sizes are limited and socially distanced to ensure your safety.
SIGN-UP TODAY!
To get started create an account. Click on the blue Sign Up button. Then click on the blue New Volunteer button to set up a Volunteer Profile. While you are in the system go ahead and register for the next CERT Basic Training Class.
WHAT WILL I LEARN?
CERT Basic Training course teaches regular individuals how to respond in a disaster to save lives. The skills taught can also apply with everyday emergencies as well. The course covers the following topics:
- Personal & Family Preparedness: Family emergency plans, prepare the home and emergency kits.
- Fire Safety and Utility Controls: How to stop small fires and prevent others.
- Disaster Medical Operations: Setting up and performing life-saving medical care.
- Light Search and Rescue: How and when to search for survivors.
- Disaster Psychology: How disasters effect everyone as a victim and responder.
- Team Organization: How to organize as part of the entire response team.
- Terrorism: What to watch out for.
This training consists of one 8-session course that occurs either once or twice a week in the evening at one location somewhere in the county. The location used determines whether the course starts at 6:30 pm or 7 pm and each session runs for 3 to 3.5 hours.
WHY TRAIN WITH FAIRFAX COUNTY CERT?
- Get prepared for your family to survive the next disaster!
- Be ready to respond effectively during the next emergency.
- Develop knowledge and skills in several advanced classes including: radio communications, HAZMAT awareness,CPR/AED, Stop the Bleed, Wide-Area Search, First Aid, and many more. All training is FREE for CERT members!
- Participate in full-scale disaster drills; practice your skills on volunteer victims (after the pandemic)!
- Push your personal boundaries! Learn to save lives with duct tape and rags, pull a person from under a heavy beam and use a fire extinguisher to put out small fires!
- Participate to the level that you want. After completing your basic training there is no ongoing time or participation requirement.
Contact us for more information.
CALENDAR FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN CERT
This calendar provides information for events available to people interested in learning about and getting trained by the Fairfax County Community Emergency Response Team. Many more opportunities for FREE training and ways to get involved are available to you once you have completed the CERT Basic Training curriculum.
June 10, 2023 STOP THE BLEED STARTS: 8:00AM-10:30AM
STOP THE BLEED is a training program created to train bystanders in life-saving techniques. With the rise of mass shootings and active shooter situations in schools, churches, public meeting places, and even office buildings, it is vital that more and more individuals are trained in the basics of life-saving techniques, such as how to apply a pressure bandage, how to properly use a tourniquet, or use a hemostatic agent such as QuikClot.
Location: Public Safety Headquarters rooms 2105 and 2107.
Parking: Behind 12055 Government Center Parkway (Herrity Building).
Note: Please arrive at the front entrance of the PSHQ, 12099 Government Center Parkway at 11:45am and not later than 12pm.
Point of Contact: Wayne V., trainingdiv@fairfaxcountycert.org
Register: https://volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov/custom/1380/opp_details/188315
June 22, 2023 CERT Basic Class 182 STARTS: 6:30PM
CERT teaches people how to safely respond to major emergencies to save lives, when first responders may be delayed. Over 8-sessions instructors prepare participants to work together to manage a local response and assist First Responders once they arrive. The course concludes with a disaster exercise to challenge your new skills. Meets Monday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 pm to 10 pm. Class dates are: June 22, 26, 29, July 03, 06, 10, 13, from 6:30pm to 10pm with a Final Exercise on Saturday morning, July 15, 2023, at 7:30am. Please be sure to note the Prerequisites, and Directions to the class, listed on the registration page.
Location: Workhouse Art Center 9518 Workhouse Way Lorton, VA 22079
Contact Info: Wayne Vick trainingdiv@fairfaxcountycert.org
Register: https://volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov/custom/1380/opp_details/188590
August 4, 2023 CERT Basic Class 183 STARTS: 7:00PM
CERT teaches people how to safely respond to major emergencies to save lives, when first responders may be delayed. Over 8-sessions instructors prepare participants to work together to manage a local response and assist First Responders once they arrive. The course concludes with a disaster exercise to challenge your new skills. Meets Friday evenings from 7:00PM to 10:30PM and Saturday mornings and afternoons from 8:30AM to 4:30PM . Class dates are: August 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19, with a Final Exercise on Saturday morning, August 19, 2023, at 8:30am. Please be sure to note the Prerequisites, and Directions to the class, listed on the registration page.
Location: Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Academy, 4600 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
Contact Info: Elvia Foil lead@fairfaxcountycert.org
Register: https://volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov/custom/1380/opp_details/188591
August 12, 2023 STOP THE BLEED STARTS: 8:00AM-10:30AM
STOP THE BLEED is a training program created to train bystanders in life-saving techniques. With the rise of mass shootings and active shooter situations in schools, churches, public meeting places, and even office buildings, it is vital that more and more individuals are trained in the basics of life-saving techniques, such as how to apply a pressure bandage, how to properly use a tourniquet, or use a hemostatic agent such as QuikClot.
Location: Public Safety Headquarters rooms 2105 and 2107.
Parking: Behind 12055 Government Center Parkway (Herrity Building).
Note: Please arrive at the front entrance of the PSHQ, 12099 Government Center Parkway at 7:45AM and not later than 8AM.
Point of Contact: Wayne V., trainingdiv@fairfaxcountycert.org
Register: https://volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov/custom/1380/opp_details/188315
CERT In the Community
Throughout the year, the CERT Program engages with the Fairfax County Community to provide information tables and demonstrations at outreach events and gatherings such as preparedness fairs and public safety events. We also practice our emergency skills such as traffic and crowd management at festivals, parades, and races. Often we are asked to provide speakers to explain the CERT Program to Homeowners Association Meetings, government meetings, and other community meetings. We are eager for new opportunities and events where we can share our preparedness message and explain more about CERT Basic Training. If you have an event that you think CERT can engage, contact us at: Outreach@fairfaxcountycert.org
June 3, 2023
Taste Of Springfield– Outreach
In the United States in 2022, the average percentage of bystanders who performed CPR before first responders could arrive at a heart attack/cardiac arrest was roughly 40%. Fairfax County was only slightly better at 44%. Seattle, which has massive public training in CPR, had a 75% rate. We can do a lot better. Events like this Taste of Springfield Hands-Only CPR event are one way we, as CERTs, can help the public to take action during cardiac emergencies. We could use your assistance, both to demonstrate and teach hands-only CPR to attendees, but also to spread the word about CERT and emergency preparedness. CERT will staff a booth and provide information and flyers about our training to help citizens prepare for disasters
Location: Springfield Town Center, 6500 Franconia-Springfield Pkwy, Springfield, VA 22150
North East side of the parking lot (near Yard House/Maggiano’s on the Loisdale Rd side of the mall)
10:30am-5:30pm
The Fairfax County Department of Emergency Management and Security (DEMS) offers preparedness events and training to help County residents develop the skills to handle a disaster.
June 13, 2023 Introduction to Preparedness 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Location:
June 22, 2023 Until Help Arrives 6:00pm
The Until Help Arrives program was developed to educate and empower civilian bystanders to take action and provide life-saving care when they are the first on the scene during an emergency.
Confidence comes through preparation. The Until Help Arrives training course creates confident first responders by teaching scene safety principles, how to stop severe bleeding, and how to perform hands-only CPR.
Location: Contact DEMS for more information. 571-350-1000
June 24, 2023 Until Help Arrives 9:30am
Life-threatening emergencies can happen fast, and emergency responders aren’t always nearby. You may be able to save a life by taking simple actions immediately. You Are the Help Until Help Arrives.
The Until Help Arrives program was developed to educate and empower civilian bystanders to take action and provide life-saving care when they are the first on the scene during an emergency.
Confidence comes through preparation. The Until Help Arrives training course creates confident first responders by teaching scene safety principles, how to stop severe bleeding, and how to perform hands-only CPR.
Register here: Until Help Arrives Tickets, Sat, Jun 24, 2023 at 9:30 AM | Eventbrite
ATTENDING CERT CLASSES
Inclement Weather Policy
Fairfax County CERT events will be canceled when the Fairfax County Government is closed or when a non-Fairfax County site hosting the event is closed. The “open/closed” status of the Fairfax County Government can be found:
- Through Fairfax Alerts by signing up at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/alerts
- On the county website, at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/status
- On Instagram, at https://www.instagram.com/fairfaxcounty
- On Twitter at https://twitter.com/fairfaxcounty
- On Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/fairfaxcounty
- By calling the Inclement Weather Line at 703-324-8661
All CERT events are subject to cancellation due to weather, scheduling, or other factors. CERT volunteers are advised to check their email in the days leading up to an event and check with the Event Lead if there is any question.
All CERT events are subject to cancellation due to weather, scheduling, or other factors. CERT volunteers are advised to check their email in the days leading up to an event and check with the Event Lead if there is any question.
HOW WE’RE SUSTAINED
You can help, whether you’re a CERT or not!
CERT relies on our community to support our very active volunteer operations throughout Fairfax County. We always appreciate the support of our public-minded residents of Fairfax County and your donations to support this vital training and, award-winning, volunteer program. We are an IRS certified 501(c)(3) non-profit that can accept fully deductible contributions to support our operations. A dollar can be the most powerful and effective tool, before a crisis.