Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

On September 29-30, the Milwaukee Fire Department, Bureau of Instruction and Training, sponsored CERT training for 28 members of the United States Postal Service Emergency Response Team.  These members represented all parts of Milwaukee County.  They were trained by the MFD's Captain Vassel and Lisa Sherman and Dory Skenadroe of the Milwaukee County Sheriff Department.

During training, CERTs learn to:

• Prepare for hazards that threaten their communities
• Apply size-up and safety principles
• Locate and turn off utilities
• Extinguish small fires
• Identify hazardous materials
• Triage and treat victims
• Conduct light search and rescue
• Understand the psychological impact of disasters
• Organize CERT team members and spontaneous volunteers for and effective and safe response
• Apply response skills in a disaster situation.

CERT training is beneficial for neighborhood watch groups, home owners, church groups, businesses, governmental offices, schools, clubs and organizations.

 

For further information regarding local CERT training, please call the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, Bureau of Emergency Management at 414.278-4709 and ask for Lisa Sherman or Genene Hibbler.

 

For further information on CERT at the national level, please visit these websites:

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Citizen Corps

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Educational sites to visit:

The U.S. Fire Administration offers a website full of fire education information.  Here are some of the pages you can visit:

 

Fire Factsheets

Smoke Alarm Information

Holiday Safety

 

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Visit these sites:

 American Red Cross Milwaukee