Community Emergency Response Team

CERT is an acronym for Community Emergency Response Team. This team is a volunteer team that can assist Rocky Hill when large scale events occur in our community. Examples are natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes or any significant storms that may require the town to act based on the outcome of the storm. Other aid may be provided in the form of public service such as COVID distribution centers, food share, concerts on the green and several other town sponsored events that require volunteer services to town and some of its departments. Throughout the year, CERT members will be assisting in other capacities in non-operational events in our town library, senior center, ride share and park and rec environments helping aid the community in our volunteer needs. We operate under the supervision of the Emergency Management Director and support a mission of: “To assist Rocky Hill Emergency Management and first responder agencies in disaster, crisis and emergency response and promote safety education, emergency and disaster preparedness in our community”.

Any resident 18 years or older and there are no special skills required and we welcome all groups from neighborhood watch, community organization, place of worship, school staff, workplace employees and other groups may have an interest. Again, there are no special skills are required, just the willingness to learn the skills necessary to survive a disaster and complete the required FEMA training classes. 

All residents are encouraged to register online. You may also pick up applications outside the Emergency Management Director office on the first floor of Town Hall, call 860-258-7694 or e-mail: spendl@rockyhillct.gov to become a team member. Once you are on the team, certification training will be provided at no cost to the individual participants.

Once your application has been reviewed and an interview has taken place, the Emergency Management Director will provide further information about our required Basic FEMA CERT Classes that will be held in Rocky Hill Town Hall. There are 8 – 2-hour sessions that are held for each class. By FEMA Standards, each class must cover 20 hours of instruction for FEMA Certification. The classes are taught by trained emergency personnel, including firefighters, Law Enforcement and Emergency Medical Personnel, and again will be taught in Rocky Hill Town Hall. Training consists of the following:

• Disaster Preparation/Emergency Management
• Basic First Aid & Disaster First Aid & Triage
• Disaster Psychology and Team Organization
• Control of Home Utilities & Fire Suppression, Fire Extinguisher Training
• Urban Search & Rescue, Logistical Support for Search Teams
• Situation Awareness, Terrorism Awareness
• Light Search & Rescue Operations
• Course Review and Disaster Simulations