Community Emergency Response Team CERT is a national program supported by FEMA and managed in Fairfax County by the Fire and Rescue Department 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. Local CERT programs, like ours train and organize teams of volunteers to assist their families, neighbors, co-workers, and other community members during emergencies when professional responders may not be immediately available to provide assistance. CERT volunteers also support their communities by organizing, promoting, and participating in emergency preparedness events, activities, and projects. To become a CERT volunteer you must attend a 24-hour CERT Basic Training course.
WHY GET TRAINED?
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?
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.
WHO ARE THE TRAINERS?
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?
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?
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?
- 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.
Contact us for more information.
CALENDAR FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN CERT
This calendar provides 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.
April 13, 2024 CERT Stop the Bleed STARTS: 9:00AM- 11:30AM
A person who is bleeding can die from blood loss within five minutes. While emergency responders will arrive as quickly as possible, bystanders are almost always there first. In the case of disaster and high-casualty incidents, emergency services are often spread thin. This is where Stop The Bleed! helps. This training program will teach you to stop severe bleeding and Save a Life! WILL YOU BE READY?
STOP THE BLEED is a training program created by the US Department of Homeland Security in conjunction with FEMA and other agencies, to train bystanders in life-saving techniques. With the rise of mass shootings and active shooter situations in schools, churches, public meeting places, and even office buildings, it is vital that more and more individuals are trained in the basics of life-saving techniques, such as how to properly use a tourniquet, use a hemostatic agent such as QuikClot, or even apply a chest seal. Everything that can be done to save a person’s life is done in the first five minutes! What would you do if you were faced with the unimaginable?
This is a FREE Class that is open to the public
Minimum age: 16 and 17 with parental permission. 13 to 15 with parent/guardian participation.
Location: Montebello Condominium Complex, 5905 Mt Eagle Dr, Alexandria, VA 22303
Contact Info: Gary Smith 703-944-4671
VMS Registration: Link
April 13, 2024 Be Stroke SMART STARTS: 12:00PM 1:30PM
Every 40 seconds someone suffers a stroke! Every 4 minutes someone dies from a stroke! Strokes are the 3rd Leading cause of Death for women and the 4th leading cause of death for people over 65 years old. Do you know how to spot a stroke before it is too late to save a life?
This short class will inform you of the cause of strokes and how to recognize them early enough to save a life. The life you save could be your parent, sibling, or your life partner.
In the Community Center (Presentation to follow the Stop the Bleed program)
Contact Info: Wayne Vick 202-498-2310
Location: Montebello Condominium Complex, 5905 Mt Eagle Dr, Alexandria, VA 22303
Contact Info: Wayne Vick 202-498-2310
Register: Link
May 13, 2024 CERT Basic 192 STARTS: 6:30PM 10:00PM
CERT teaches people how to safely respond to major emergencies to save lives, when first responders may be delayed. Over 8-sessions instructors prepare participants to work together to manage a local response and assist First Responders once they arrive. The course concludes with a disaster exercise to challenge your new skills. Meets Monday and Thursday evenings from 6:30PM to 10:00PM. Class dates are: May 13, 16, 20, 23, 30, June 03, 06 and the Final Exercise on Saturday, June 08 from 8 AM to 12:30 PM at a facility in Springfield, VA. Please be sure to note the Prerequisites, and Directions to the class, listed on the registration page.
Location: McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave, McLean, VA 22101
Contact Info: Wayne Vick 202-498-2310
Register: Link
June 11 & 13, 2024 CERT Emergency Preparedness STARTS: 7:00PM- 10:00PM
Be Ready for Emergencies. Act ahead of time to be ready for an emergency (PREPARE). This helps protect life and property in an emergency (Respond), rebuild from an emergency (Recover), and Mitigate or minimize the effects of emergencies. The Workshop planning approach helps prepare for emergencies using four actions to take that make a difference. Creating Plans, Being Informed, Building Kits, and Getting Trained. With these actions you can reduce the potential impact of emergencies (disasters) from threats and hazards to save lives and reduce trauma.
This workshop is designed as two sessions and with a pre-course one page draft plan as homework. (Before the course starts). The first is a virtual presentation and discussion. Between the first and second session you have the time to explore several decisions and finalize checklists for action planning that is critical for successful emergency preparedness. The second session is an in-person workshop to finalize your emergency preparedness plan, check out emergency kits, and explore emergency food pantry items and safe drinking water sources. We”ll even taste test a couple of types of emergency meals. This course is open to and recommended for the public.
Minimum age: 16 with parental permission for minors.
The 2-Day Workshop is on:
June 11 Virtual via Zoom. The Zoom Link will be provided to registrants prior to June 11.
June 13 In person session will be at the Fairfax County Public Safety Headquarters 12099 Government Center Parkway Fairfax, VA 22035
Contact Info: Marco Johnson 793-405-3861
Register at: Link
June 12, 2024 CERT Basic 194 STARTS: 6:30PM 10:00PM
CERT teaches people to safely respond to emergencies where first responders may be delayed. It prepares you to provide life-saving care for victims. The course concludes with a disaster exercise.
This Training is currently FREE. However, you may need extra gear beyond that provided in the training.
Meets Wednesday evenings from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm.
Course Dates: June 12, 26, July 10, 17, 24, 31 and the Final Exercise on Saturday, Aug 3 from 8 AM to 12:30 PM at a facility in Springfield, VA
Location: Bailey’s Community Center
5920 A Summers Lane, Bailey’s Crossroads, VA 22041
Contact Info: Wayne Vick 202-498-2310
Register: Link
CERT In the Community
Throughout the year, the CERT Program engages with the Fairfax County Community to provide information tables and demonstrations at outreach events and gatherings such as preparedness fairs and public safety events. We also practice our emergency skills such as traffic and crowd management at festivals, parades, and races. Often we are asked to provide speakers to explain the CERT Program to Homeowners Association Meetings, government meetings, and other community meetings. We are eager for new opportunities and events where we can share our preparedness message and explain more about CERT Basic Training. If you have an event that you think CERT can engage, contact us at: Outreach@fairfaxcountycert.org
Victim Actors needed April 15-May 31
At the end of each CERT Basic course, we hold a Final Exercise for students to practice what they learned. Having the opportunity to use their new skills in a simulated practice better prepares them to help community members if a disaster occurs.
We invite you to help by volunteering to be a victim actor either once or multiple times if you like the activity. As a victim actor (no experience needed), you will be placed in a safe scene/environment to be found and rescued.
Volunteers should be in generally good health; i.e., no medical conditions or injuries that could put an actor at risk during an active exercise. You may be asked to climb stairs, sit or lay on the ground for long periods of time, receive makeup to simulate injuries, and act consistent with your assigned simulated injuries. Actors may be working indoors, outdoors, or in the dark and should dress for the weather. Review “What to Expect” for more details about the experience. Download PDF
Victim Actors must be:
- 18 years of age or older
- 17 to 16 years old with parent or guardian permission
- 15 to 13 years old with a parent or guardian also participating
- All participants will need to complete a release form.
If you can participate, please submit your contact information on Jotform at https://form.jotforhttps://form.jotform.com/232815339082154
2024 Fire Prevention Week
Sunday, Oct 6, 2024 – Saturday, Oct 12, 2024
Fire Station Open Houses will take place on October12, 2024
Fire Stations Open House – Outreach
The Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department and all County and Volunteer fire and rescue stations cordially invite the general public to participate in a community open house spotlighting Fire Prevention week. The theme for 2023 is “Cooking safety starts with YOU” ™ It serves to remind us all of the simple actions we can take to stay safe from fire year-round. Volunteer Firehouses will host activities, provide tours, and have available fire prevention educational materials. For more information, click on your Volunteer Fire Department’s Facebook pages below.
For prospective volunteers, the Open House is also a great opportunity to talk with operational and administrative volunteers and learn about different opportunities to get involved. For more information, visit one of the following volunteer fire departments websites below.
In addition, Fairfax County CERT volunteers will be staffing Outreach tables at many fire stations to discuss disaster preparedness and the classes we offer to the community.
For more information: outreach@fairfaxcountycert.org
Locations:
McLean Volunteer Fire Department (Station 1), 1244 Laughlin Avenue, McLean
Vienna Volunteer Fire Department (Station 2), 400 Center Street South, Vienna
Franconia Volunteer Fire Department (Station 5), 6300 Beulah Street, Alexandria
Annandale Volunteer Fire Department (Station 8), 7128 Columbia Pike, Annandale
Bailey’s Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department (Station 10), 3601 Firehouse Lane, Falls Church
Great Falls Volunteer Fire Department (Station 12), 9916 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls
Dunn Loring Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (Station 13), 2148 Gallows Road, Dunn Loring
Burke Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (Station 14), 9501 Old Burke Lake Road, Burke
Centreville Volunteer Fire Department (Station 17), 5856 Old Centreville Road, Centreville
Lorton Volunteer Fire Department (Station 19), 7701 Armistead Road, Lorton
Fair Oaks Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (Station 21), 12300 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, Fairfax
Greater Springfield Volunteer Fire Department (Station 22), 7011 Backlick Road, Springfield
ATTENDING CERT CLASSES
Inclement Weather Policy
Fairfax County CERT events will be canceled 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.
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.