CERT is new to my community (we are class #3). My CERT coordinator is currently working with the Fire Department and the graduates to form localized teams. So far, we do not have plans in place to active or coordinate the CERTs with emergency services. This is all for use to work on in the near future.<br><br>According to my instructors CERTs have been being trained in California for about 10 years and they believe have been called for service.<br><br>CERT training emphasis is on small teams joining together in a disaster and doing what they can prior to the arrival of, or in the absence of, emergency services. This is completely dependent on having enough trained CERTs in your neighborhood or work site to become valuable with no direct supervision or "call-out".<br><br>My guess is that once "real" emergency workers arrive the CERT role would change to minor support or even "thanks, now go away".....but the whole point to CERT training is to have the basic ability to assist yourself and family first, to respond outside of your home or worksite, do no additional harm, and assist when you CANNOT expect the trained professional emergency workers to arrive.<br><br>Do the greatest good, for the greatest number, in the shortest time.<br><br>I also would be interested to learn what role any CERTs have played in their communities.