CERT was developed and implemented by the city of Los Angeles, California Fire Department in 1985. They realized that citizens would very likely be on their own during the early stages of a catastrophic disaster. Therefore the LAFD decided that some basic training in disaster survival and rescue skills would improve the ability of citizens to survive until first responders or other assistance could arrive. The Wjittier Narrows earthquake in 1987 underscored the area-wide threat of a major disaster in California.
The training program that the LAFD initiated proved to be so beneficial that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) felt that the concept and the program should be made available to communities nationwide. In 1994, the Emergency Management Institute (EMI), in cooperation with the LAFD, expanded the CERT materials to make them applicable to all hazards.
The City of Parma Community Response Program is part of the local and national Citizens Corps efforts to incorporate and utilize volunteers in the community. Citizens Corps is endorsed by the President and the Department of Homeland Security. Parma CERT was established in September of 2004 under the City of Parma Fire Department.
All of CERT members are volunteers. Therefore we have no paid positions within the organization.
Most members of Parma CERT are residents of Parma. This means all the CERT members are our neighbors.
Everyone in CERT receives the same initial training, regardless of background, in a variety of subjects.