Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

The Lino Lakes Public Safety Department received grant money from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to start up a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program. This 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 police and fire departments by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community. People who go through CERT training have a better understanding of the potential threats to their home, workplace, and community and can take the right steps to lessen the effects of these hazards on themselves, their homes, or their workplace. If a disaster happens that overwhelms local response capability, CERT members can apply the training learned in the classroom and during exercises to give critical support to their family, loved ones, neighbors, or associates in their immediate area until help arrives. When help does arrive, CERT members provide useful information to police and fire and support their efforts, as directed, at the disaster site. CERT is about readiness and people helping people. CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens will be initially on their own and their actions can make a difference.

Interested in Serving?

The Lino Lakes Public Safety Department is currently seeking volunteers in the community interested in attending the next CERT Training class. For more information, please contact us.