Following a major disaster in the Napa Valley, first responders who provide emergency services will not always be able to meet the immediate demand for these services. The high number of number of victims, communication failures and road blockages will prevent people from accessing emergency services they have come to expect at a moment's notice. Individuals will need to relay on themselves in order to meet their immediate lifesaving and life sustaining needs. 

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about the hazards that affect the Napa Valley and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, personal preparedness, and disaster medical operations. 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 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, CERTs provide useful information to responders and support their efforts, as directed, at the disaster site. CERT members can also assist with non-emergency projects that improve the safety of the community. 

In the Napa Valley the CERT training is provided though the collaborative efforts various emergency agencies and coordinated by Napa County and is generally offered on a Friday evening and all-day Saturday and Sunday.

For more information:

Kevin Twohey
OES Coordinator
County of Napa
707-299-1892

http://www.countyofnapa.org/cert/