What is C-CERT?

The Loyola University Maryland Campus CERT program is about readiness, people helping people, rescuer safety and doing the greatest good for the greatest number.  The program is designed to prepare staff and students to help themselves, their family (friends), and their neighbors in the event of a disaster.  Because emergency services personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, campus community members can make a difference by using the training to save lives and protect property. This training covers basic skills that are important to know in a disaster when emergency services are not available.

Each CERT member will receive training in the following areas: 

• Emergency Preparedness
• Fire Safety
• Emergency Medical Operations
• CERT Organization
• Disaster Psychology
• Terrorism and CERT
• Disaster Simulation (practical)

The C-CERT program will benefit all faculty, staff and students on the university campus and is offered to anyone at the university. Please look at our brochure for additional information or email us.

Mission of C-CERT

The mission of the Loyola C-CERT program is to provide critical support to the University and immediate assistance to victims during an emergency or disaster.

History of the CERT program

CERT was originally developed by the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985, and made nationally available by FEMA in 1993. The program is designed to educate people about disaster preparedness and potential hazards, and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using what they’ve 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. Today, 3,534 communities and many universities around the country have established CERT programs, with over 200,000 active team members.

Requirements to join the CERT program

In order to join the CERT program you must meet the following requirements:

1. Be a member of the Loyola University Maryland community (student, faculty, staff, administrator)
2. Want to help others during an emergency or disaster
3. Download and complete the application (you will need save the document)
4. Complete the CERT Basic academy program (20 hours – usually completed over a weekend)
5. You can also take the FEMA IS-317 Online Course: Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams (optional)

"College campuses operate as communities within communities. As a result, they offer the opportunity to use the existing relationships between students, faculty and staff to develop a diverse CERT program. Incorporating these different populations allows the information provided in CERT training to reach all levels of the community, and, at the same time, improves interaction between the groups by encouraging discourse. Campus Emergency Response Teams offer many diverse opportunities to increase the overall readiness on a college campus.” 
— Campus Safety Magazine