The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program that supports the idea and importance of community volunteers and citizen preparation. Currently, it includes 31 volunteer community members who are trained to help in the event of a disaster. This includes providing immediate assistance to victims, organizing volunteers and assisting in the collection of information to allow professional responders to better prioritize resources. In addition to disaster response, CERT members serve as a resource for community events where volunteers are needed for multiple roles.

To learn more about CERT or about volunteering with the program, contact Brian Oberschmid at boberschmid@stlouisparkmn.gov or 952.924.2598.