CERT helps when there’s a disaster

Rennie Gaither

UPDATE: Class coming fall

The next academy will be held this fall, every Tuesday evening, Sept. 16-Nov. 11, 6:30-9:30 p.m. in Arden Hills. More details will be posted as the date gets closer.

It’s February, and as of the time of this writing the snowfall total for the winter of 2024-25 is 69% lower than the historical average. Sad news for many winter sports aficionados, yet a boon for those of us who veer towards “winter lite.”
That said, John Steinbeck wrote: “What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” I sometimes wonder about the utility of balancing – rather, weighing – seasonal weather patterns against each other? While there’s something immediately visceral in making such comparisons, I intuitively pull back. Today, the effects of climate on weather patterns associative with one season may present wildly out of sync in similarity to its traditional opposite. To be crude: What good is savoring summer’s warmth with the warmth of winter to sour the whole affair?
Case in point: The wildfires that have ravaged greater Los Angeles County, resulting in 28 confirmed deaths and over 15,000 structures destroyed as of this writing. Despite debate over whether climate change or other factors fueled the fires, scientists attribute climate change-driven factors such as dry conditions and strong winds to fire prolongation.
Firefighters, law enforcement, and citizen auxiliaries all worked to end the conflagration. Nearly a thousand prison laborers have joined to combat the blazes. Members of Los Angeles’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) have also been involved. The Los Angeles City Fire Department developed and deployed the first CERT program in 1985 after reviewing civilian response to local disasters in Japan and Mexico City.
CERT programs teach people how to better prepare themselves and others for community hazards such as floods, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other disasters such as bridge collapses. CERT training programs organize teams of volunteers to assist families, neighbors, and community members during emergencies when professional responders are not immediately available. This helps free up responders to address more critical tasks.
How do I know? I completed training in the spring of 2022 here in Ramsey County!
The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office offers CERT basic training through a nine-week course of weekly meetings open to all residents of the state of Minnesota, 18 years and older. Participants must pass a criminal background check. The training outline includes disaster preparedness, CERT organizational structure, fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, medical operations, and ways to address terrorist situations. An exam, both written and hands-on, follows for certification.
Some of the more memorable experiences for me were various emergency simulations, from fires to treating life-threatening conditions and basic first aid.
Volunteers should prepare to commit to three-hour weekly meetings over the nine week training period. For more information about the Ramsey County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) visit bit.ly/3EewGCI.
At this time, the 2025 schedule for CERT training has yet to post. But Frogtown Green will host its newest monthly Neighbor Night program around emergency preparedness on Thursday, March 6 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Frogtown Community Center, 230 Como Ave. in St Paul. The event is free, and healthy, delicious food will be served. Come out and learn more about how you can help your family and community be better prepared.
Rennie Gaither is a Frogtown Green volunteer. Frogtown Green is a resident-led and volunteer-powered environmental initiative in St Paul’s most diverse neighborhood. If you’d like to know more, browse frogtowngreen.com or call 651-757-5970.