Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
of Rutherford County, NC
Monthly Meetings and Classes are held on every 2nd Saturday of each month at Noon.
At the Rutherford County Administration Building, 289 N. Main St. Rutherfordton, NC, 28139
Anyone interested is welcome to come.
CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team, a program that trains volunteers in basic disaster response skills to assist their communities during emergencies. It provides a standardized approach to disaster preparedness and response, enabling volunteers to support professional emergency responders. Members help their communities during disasters, while focusing on self-care and their family’s safety first.
Each month Rutherford County CERT strives to provide classes on how to deal with disasters that could effect you and your family, your neighborhood, our county or the country. Our classes have included: how to stop severe bleeding, home defense from a home invasion, Ham Radio, using personal drones after a disaster, using an AED – Defibrillator, Meshtastic Communications, Land Navigation, Bug Out Bags, Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defense, Situtaional Awareness, CPR Class, Avoiding Abduction, Retreat/Wildland Firefighting, and Electrocution. (See our Classes link in the menu.)
The Rutherford County CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) was started in Nov 2023.
Our CERT has been provided with material support by Dept of Homeland Security, FEMA, North Carolina Department of Safety, and is sponsored by the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
Initially, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs were developed to assist communities in taking care of themselves in the aftermath of a major disaster when first responders are overwhelmed or unable to respond because of communication or transportation difficulties. As the CERT concept has taken hold across the country, however, CERTs have become much more than originally envisioned. CERTs have proven themselves to be an active and vital part of their communities’ preparedness and response capabilties. For example, CERTs have been used to:
Assist with evacuations and traffic control
Promote community awareness of potential hazards and preparedness measures
Supplement staffing at special events, such as festivals and parades
Act as victims in training exercises and drills
CERTs are an investment of local government’s time and resources. To capitalize on this investment, program sponsors can view CERT volunteers as a force-multiplier that can assist with public safety activities. Such an approach will actively involve members in their communities beyond disaster response and add value to the CERT program. CERT programs welcome individuals of all abilities.
Follow us on our CERT-Rutherford Facebook group.
For more information you can contact Rick Austin, Program Manager, at CERT-Rutherford@protonmail.com