Linn County Community Emergency Response Team

Linn County CERT Logo

UPCOMING BASIC TRAINING SESSION!

Linn County EMA and Marion Fire are hosting a 3-day (20 hour) CERT Basic Training class May 15th - May 17th. For more information and to sign-up, click the links below.

CERT Basic Information Sheet Spring 2026

CERT Basic Schedule - Spring 2026

Sign-Up Here

OVERVIEW

CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following a local emergency or disaster when professional responders are overwhelmed and unable to immediately assist all individuals.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards (e.g., fire, flood, power outage) that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Other topics include putting together your own disaster kit, disaster psychology and disaster incident management.

TRAINING

The 20 hours of training involves:

One three-hour session on Friday evening
One eight-hour session on Saturday
One eight-hour session on Sunday (also includes a review, a written test, and a practical exercise/scenario)

This training consists of interactive skills-based training, lectures and concludes with a hands-on training exercise. Class registration is free and open to community members who are 18 years or older. Teenagers between 16 to 17 years old may participate in the training if accompanied by a parent/guardian. We try and hold two class sessions each year. One in the spring and one in the fall.

CLASS PREREQUISITES

Please complete the following FEMA Independent Study Courses in the order below:

IS-317.a: Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams
IS-315.a: CERT and the Incident Command System
IS-100.c: Introduction to the Incident Management System
IS-700.b: Introduction to the National Incident Management System

You will need to present these four certificates at the end of class.

In addition you may also consider taking these two courses to gain a better understanding of the Incident Command System (ICS) and the National Response Framework (NRF).

IS-200.c: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
IS-800.d: National Response Framework: An Introduction

It is recommended for CERT Volunteer Type 2 - National Qualification Standards (NQS) that volunteers complete 100, 200, 700 and 800.

By becoming a CERT team member, you will receive the training you need to do “the greatest good for the greatest number of people” in the event of an emergency. Volunteers are needed in your neighborhood, so sign up for CERT classes today so that we can make our communities safer, stronger and better prepared!

How Does CERT Help in the Community?

Once a disaster strikes, CERT team members are encouraged to check on their families, neighbors and home first. CERT members then assemble at a pre-designated area and organize into teams. These teams spread out into their neighborhood or workplace to:

To serve as the eyes and ears of the Linn County Emergency Operations Center and first responders
Manage utilities and put out small fires
Treat the three killers by opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating for shock
Provide basic medical aid, and
Search for and rescue victims safely.

Linn County CERT contributions go beyond disaster response. In the past, they’ve provided sheltering support for displaced residents and provided support to Marion Fire Department and Marion CERT for Marion Fireworks & Fireflies.