Dweste, sorry I haven't followed the whole thread but

- taking CERT: realize the first aid instruction in CERT is minimal and focussed mass care triage (greatest good for greatest number). By CERT rules you will leave a fair number of injured to die, and frankly aside from some tips on applying pressure and keeping fields more or less sterile, its kind of a disjointed view of First Aid, I think CERT assumes you've had an actual First Aid course to be effective. In real life you want to have some instruction on how to keep everyone you encounter alive, since not nearly every first aid scenario is a CERT scenario. Red Cross offers a good generalized First Aid / CPR / AED course as an introduction. I heartily recommend a (2-3 day)Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course from someone like NOLS for some practical FA treatment that addresses issues outside the wilderness, such as in the event of a urban disaster when you are on your own with your patients for 24+ hrs.

- assist paramedics: this is specialized training, in the EMT-B (or C?) series. I have seen it at local community colleges, and if I have time and opportunity I might take it for background. By assisting paramedics I assume you mean you want to work as a volunteer EMT, not to be capable of assising paramedics in a rescue situation. Training is nice, but wouldn't qualify you to work with paramedics - they show up, you should be prepared to step aside.

Well, I'm just stating the obvious like a schmuck who just walked into a conversation, which is who I am on this thread, but figured I had better say it anyway.