FairfaxCountyCERT.org
The Fairfax County Community Emergency Response Team
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
What is CERT?
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a program 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 Fire and Rescue Department. The training prepares people to help themselves, their families, and their communities during major disasters when first responders can be delayed. The CERT motto is to “Do the greatest good for the greatest number."
Why get trained?
When and where is the training?
When and where is the training?
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?
When and where is the training?
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.
Contact us for more information.
Who are the trainers?
When and where is the training?
Who can take CERT training?
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?
Why train with Fairfax County CERT?
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?
Why train with Fairfax County CERT?
Why train with Fairfax County CERT?
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?
Why train with Fairfax County CERT?
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 .
Volunteer/Community Service Hours
Fairfax County CERT acknowledges community service hours for CERT Basic Training, and certain other CERT Continuing Education (CCE) classes, required for some high school and college program graduations. CCE courses that provide service hours will be identified in the VMS registration announcement online. Service hours are documented by the Instructor and confirmed by the Director, Training Division after the conclusion of the course. To the extent one is physically able to do so, participants must be present and engaged with the class. Simple presence at a class is not sufficient to warrant service hours.
Because of the nature of our courses and events some limitations apply. In general, all CERT Training participants must be:
- 13 to 15 years old and have a parent or guardian participate with them in the class. The parent or guardian must therefore also register for and attend all sessions of the class. For authorized CCE classes the parent must also meet the minimum requirements to attend the class.
- 16 and 17 years old with parent or guardian written permission (signed Fairfax County Hold Harmless form). A parent may sign the form in person at the first class or, if they sign the form in advance and do not accompany their teen to the first class, they may provide their teen a photocopy of the parent’s driver’s license as proof of approval. (The teen will retain the copy of the parent’s driver’s license).
In Fairfax County, CERT Basic Training requires about 28 hours and involved two courses (IS-317a Introduction to CERT (2 hours) online course and CERT Basic Training (24 hours).
For questions regarding Service Hours please contact:
Wayne Vick, Director, Training Division at TrainingDiv@FairfaxCountyCERT.org.
CALENDAR for those Interested in CERT
This calendar provides only 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.
January 20 & 27, 2023
CERT Emergency Preparedness
7:00am-9:30pm
Online and In-person
Event Details
January 20 & 27, 2023
CERT Emergency Preparedness
DISASTERS HAPPEN! Global climate change causes more devistating impacts that occur more often. Are you Ready?
There are four actions everyon...
7:00am-9:30pm
Online and In-person
March 1, 2023
CERT Basic Training – Class 177
6:30pm-10:00pm American Legion Post 176 6520 Amherst Avenue Springfield, VA 22150
Event Details
March 1, 2023
CERT Basic Training – Class 177
CERT Basic Training Class 177 CERT teaches people to safely respond to emergencies where first responders may be delayed. It prepares parti...
6:30pm-10:00pm American Legion Post 176 6520 Amherst Avenue Springfield, VA 22150
March 11, 2023
Stop the Bleed
9:03am-11:30am
In-person
Event Details
March 11, 2023
Stop the Bleed
STOP THE BLEED is a training program created to train bystanders in life-saving techniques. With the rise of mass shootings and active shoot...
9:03am-11:30am
In-person
March 23, 2023
CERT Basic Training – Class 178
6:30pm-10:00pm at Fort Belvoir
Event Details
March 23, 2023
CERT Basic Training – Class 178
CERT Basic Training Class 176 CERT teaches people to safely respond to emergencies where first responders may be delayed. It prepares parti...
6:30pm-10:00pm at Fort Belvoir
March 20 & 27, 2023
Emergency Preparedness
7:00am-9:30pm
Online and In-person
Event Details
March 20 & 27, 2023
Emergency Preparedness
Open to the public.
DISASTERS HAPPEN! Global climate change causes more devistating impacts that occur more often. Are you Ready?
There a...
7:00am-9:30pm
Online and In-person
More Events
Attending Classes
Inclement Weather Policy
Fairfax County CERT events will be cancelled 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.
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.
Fairfax CERT in action
covid-19 / CORONAVIRUS resources
Fairfax County Health Dept.
Fairfax County Health Dept.
Fairfax County Health Dept.
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