Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
About CERT
The Woodlands Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is hosted by The Woodlands Fire Department and the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations.
Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects and events in their community. As a CERT graduate, you are invited to participate in various Continuing Education courses as well.
Register for CERT
Held at The Woodlands Emergency Training Center over an eight-week period (once a week, from 6 to 9 p.m.), the CERT course is taught by a team of expert first responders with a full-scale disaster simulation exercise conducted at graduation. Classes meet one night a week for three hours with most sessions involving practical exercises as well as classroom instruction. The course is free to citizens, 18 years and up.
For more information or to register for CERT, please e-mail Rachel Andrews at
. You can also call The Woodlands Fire Department at 281-367-3444 or Miranda Hahs at the Montgomery County Office of Emergency Management at 936-523-3903.
Class Syllabus:
Class 1- Disaster Preparedness
Registration; Introduction; Hazard Mitigation; Disasters & Hazards in Montgomery County; Home, Workplace, & Community Preparedness
Class 2 - Fire Safety
Fire Chemistry; Reducing Fire Hazards; Hazardous Materials; Hands-on Fire Extinguisher Exercise
Class 3- Disaster Medical Operations (part 1)
Recognizing Life-Threatening Conditions; Treating Life-Threatening Conditions; Triage
Class 4- Disaster Medical Operations (part 2)
Public Health Considerations; Establishing Treatment Areas; Conducting Head-to-Toe Assessments; Treating Non Life-Threatening Injuries
Class 5- Light Search and Rescue
Search & Rescue Size-up; Conducting Search & Rescue Operations; Hands-on Rescue/Cribbing Exercise
Class 6- CERT Organization and Disaster Psychology
CERT Organization; CERT Decision Making; Documentation; Team Well-Being; Working with Survivors’ Trauma
Class 7- Terrorism and CERT
What is Terrorism; Terrorism Targets; Terrorism Weapons; Preparing at Home and Work
Class 8- Disaster Simulation
Course Review; Disaster Simulation/Graduation