CERT Program in Santa Cruz County
What is CERT, it stands for the Community Emergency Response Team “Following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services will not be able to meet the demand for these services. Factors as 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 through 911. People will have to rely on each other for help in order to meet their immediate lifesaving and life sustaining needs.” (citizenscorps.gov/cert/about.shtm, no d)
How did CERT come about and why “The Community Emergency Response Team concept was developed and implemented by the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD) in 1985. The Whittier Narrows earthquake in 1987 underscored the area-wide threat of a major disaster in California. Further, it confirmed the need for training civilians to meet their immediate needs. As a result, the LAFD created the Disaster Preparedness Division with the purpose of training citizens and private and government employees.” (citizenscorps.gov/cert/about.shtm, no d)
CERT’s social initiative is to provide a service to the community during emergencies when all public safety resources are being utilized by true emergencies. When 9/11 happened, our public governments realized that relying soley upon our public safety organizations such as our fire departments and police departments weren’t enough. The CERT program offered the relief needed during major events or disasters. “First responders need to be educated about the CERT and their value to the community. Using CERT as a component of the response system when there are exercises for potential disasters can reinforce this idea.” (citizenscorps.gov/cert/about.shtm, no d)
The potential ethical effects that CERT has upon the community social initiative is the