Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Goffstown CERT is a community-wide volunteer organization

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program that educates citizens about the hazards they face in their community and trains them in lifesaving skills. If needed following a disaster, we citizen-responders use our training as part of a neighborhood or workplace team to help others when professional responders are overwhelmed or not immediately available. CERT members provide immediate assistance to victims in our community, organize spontaneous volunteers who have not had the training, and collect disaster intelligence that will assist professional responders with prioritization and allocation of resources when they arrive.

CERT training is offered periodically around the area free of charge and is designed to help individuals and families gain a better understanding of disaster preparedness and emergency response. The class is the first step toward becoming a member of a local CERT Team. However, taking the class is open to anyone without any obligation to join a team.

The 20-plus hour course covers fire safety, light search and rescue, first aid, as well as many other facets of emergency preparedness and safety. Instructors for the course are also volunteers and include experts in the various subjects from around the area.

Participants that wish to go on and become team members must take additional free training through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and apply to the team they wish to join. Team members are trained to help emergency responders save lives and protect property.

In addition to their primary support role, CERT teams also assist with public events and have numerous opportunities for additional training on an ongoing basis.

The CERT program is supported by Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM), the NH State Citizen Corp Council, the DHHS ESU group and the Town of Goffstown. The Goffstown CERT organization is under the town's Emergency Management structure headed by the Goffstown Fire Department Chief. Goffstown CERT was formed in 2003 and so 2023 marks our 20th anniversary!!! Goffstown CERT is the longest continuously operating CERT team in NH.

Goffstown CERT GTV Interview 11/2/2023: Goffstown CERT Interview (Youtube)

CERT Members

The Goffstown CERT organization is currently made up of approximately 36 citizens from the community and is growing. To become a member you need to get the basic CERT training which is a 20+ hour course, typically delivered in evening classes. Training sessions cover disaster preparedness, fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, team organization.

Also included in the training is a new module on terrorism that educates CERT members about biological, nuclear, incendiary, chemical and explosive (BNICE) agents. This module helps CERT members identify threats and protect themselves from those threats. The training program concludes with a disaster simulation in which participants practice skills that they learned in the courses.

Members are issued equipment that identifies them as emergency personnel and also aids them in the performance of their assigned tasks.

CERT Training for Members

There are two FEMA courses that are mandatory for all new members to complete within 90 days of receiving their certificates. Please click either course link below to begin.

For the next IS-317 Basic Training course, contact nhcerttrainer@gmail.com

There is no charge for this course and no obligation to join CERT upon completion!

The Goffstown Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is currently offering its Basic Training Class through the Londonderry or Nashua CERT programs at no cost to the public. The training program, which again is free of charge, is designed to prepare individuals to help themselves, their families, their neighborhoods, or workplace in the event of a disaster.

The training takes just a few hours to complete and provides critical skills in emergency preparedness and response. The course covers fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster medical operations, and disaster trauma psychology as well as many other facets of emergency preparedness.

Dates and times for the next basic training class are:

Date	Course	Start Time	End Time	Location	Registration
Sat Sept 23, 2023		8:00 AM	4:00 PM	Londonderry, NH	Link to Register
Sat Sept 30, 2023		8:00 AM	4:00 PM	Londonderry, NH	Link to Register

IS-317 CERT Basic Training Refresher for current CERT Members,

REQUIRED TRAINING FOR GOFFSTOWN CERT MEMBERSHIP

NEW MEMBER

Must attend the Basic Training Course
Complete IS-100 [series] within 90 days upon acceptance into CERT
Complete IS-700 [series] within 90 days upon acceptance into CERT

NEW OFFICER/TEAM LEADER

Complete IS-200 [series] within 90 days upon appointment
Complete IS-800 [series] within 90 days upon appointment

POSITION APPOINTMENT

Logistics Officer – Complete IS-703 within 90 days of appointment
Public Information Officer – Complete IS-29 within 90 days of appointment
Lead Amateur Radio Operator [LARO]– Complete Basic FCC License Course
Executive Director - IS-2200 Basic EOC Functions (also suggested for Logistics and Operations Officers)

INDIVIDUAL REJOINING CERT [after long absence]

Must Complete IS-317 (online course) within 30 days of approval of return

COURSE LIST

Link to Courses: training.fema.gov/is/

IS-100 [series] Introduction to Incident Command
IS-200 [series] ICS for Single Resource and Initial Action Incident
IS-317 Introduction to Community Emergency Response Team
IS-700 [series] National Incident Management System Introduction to
IS-29 National Incident Management System NIMS Public Information Officer Awareness
IS-703 NIMS Resource Management
IS-800 [series] National Response Framework, an Introduction
IS-2200 Basic EOC Functions