To join Arlington CERT, you must meet the prerequisites, fill out an application, and complete CERT Basic Training (CBT). Read more below for details.
If you have any questions, reach out us by filling out this form.
About CERT Basic Training
CBT is a free, in-person, 8-class training course held over 6 weeks which takes about 30 hours to complete. CBT is held twice a year in the spring and fall, and classes typically are held on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings. A schedule of upcoming courses can be found on the right-hand side of this page.
Classes are taught by local emergency response/management personnel and volunteers and include lecture, discussion, and hands-on learning.
Areas of training include:
- Disaster Threats in Arlington County
- Personal and Family Preparation and Safety
- Recognizing and Treating Life-Threatening and Non-Life-Threatening Emergencies
- Triage and Treatment Area Management
- Incident Command System
- Disaster Psychology
- Fire Safety Techniques
- Light Search and Rescue Operations
The eighth and final class includes a practical exam comprised of disaster simulations to give trainees the ability to apply their newly acquired skills in a semi-realistic environment.
CERT Basic Training normally requires some lifting, carrying, and working on the floor or ground. However, CERT is about using each person's abilities. Let us know in your application if you have differing abilities. Differing abilities are absolutely not disqualifying for CERT training.
We recognize that it can be difficult for most Arlingtonians to be able to attend all eight classes in a single course. We recommend attending when you can, and then doing makeups either with the next seasonal class, or when we offer occasional makeups.
Attending CBT is free. However, there are some supplies and tools which are necessary both for training and to ensure you are equipped and ready for an activation. CERT purchases these supplies in bulk and makes them available, at cost, to trainees. The total cost of the necessary supplies is typically $40 to $70. If that cost is a concern to you, it does not disqualify you from training. Please just let us know in person at class, and we will make alternate arrangements.
Fill Out Application
We have reached class capacity for our Spring 2024 CERT Basic Training, so we are not accepting applications at this time.
Sign up here to be notified when we are ready to accept applications for future classes.
When you submit your application, our Volunteer Registrar will review your application and perform state and national sex offender checks. We can only accept applications with successful sex offender checks.
We accept applications that meet the above prerequisites on a first come first served basis. If we meet class capacity, we will put you on our waiting list in case someone drops out of the class before the second class. If no one drops out, we can save a spot for you for the next CBT.