Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are groups of trained individuals who have volunteered to take an active role during campus emergencies.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Purdue University Northwest Community Emergency Response Team is to provide a trained pool of personnel – faculty and staff – to help the University respond to and recover from emergency events.
Purpose
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are groups of trained individuals who have volunteered to take an active role during campus emergencies.
Team Member Responsibilities
The main responsibility of team members is to help campus building occupants evacuate, take shelter or otherwise respond to emergency situations. Team members are trained to always address their own safety first, so that they are able to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
During an emergency, Campus CERT members assist first responders as requested and help communicate information about the situation to building occupants. They also educate building occupants on preparing for and responding to emergencies.
Team Member Training
All Campus CERT members attend 16 hours of classroom and light, hands-on training, followed by a half day exercise during which they practice the skills learned in the training. The classroom training may also be accomplished in an on-line format.
Topics covered in the training include:
- Disaster preparedness
- Fire safety and fire extinguisher use
- Disaster medical operations
- Light search and rescue
- Campus CERT organization
- Disaster psychology
- Terrorism and Campus CERT
Team members also participate in periodic team meetings and refresher training, and are provided opportunities to further develop their skills through additional training opportunities.
CERT Training Dates
To Be Announced
Interested in becoming a CERT member? Contact Director of Public Safety Brian Miller at 219-989-2994 or via email.