The City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department has launched a Community Emergency
Response Team (CERT) training pilot programme in region 6 at the Mamelodi Council Chambers.
The CERT programme educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their community, and trains them in basic response skills such as safety, light search, and rescue.
The City’s MMC for community safety , Alderman Karen Meyer said the programme assists in
reducing the adverse impacts of the identified hazards and risks within the community.
“The purpose of the programme is to train and organise community members to be a response asset in an emergency or disaster and to be an extension of first responder services until professional responders arrive,” said Meyer.
Meyer said on completion of this training, all successful members will be recognised as CERT
members and will be issued with a certificate indicating the training completed.
“This certificate will be issued by FPASA, which has been appointed through a Memorandum of Understanding with Santam to present the training in Tshwane as a pilot project,” Meyer said.
She added that by engaging community members in the early phases of disaster preparation and response communities can be better prepared for when disaster strikes.
