Golden State Today

UC Davis Safety Services is preparing to establish a Campus Emergency Response Team (CERT) in 2025 and is currently seeking volunteers. The program will provide education on disaster preparedness and training in essential response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations.

Interested individuals are encouraged to complete a survey by December 31. A meeting and orientation for prospective members will take place in the first half of 2025, followed by full CERT training in the second half of the year.

CERT aims to enhance campus safety and improve emergency response efficiency during disasters. When professional responders are limited, CERT volunteers can assist with initial safety assessments of buildings. Benton Best, campus emergency manager, believes that reestablishing CERT will promote safety awareness throughout the UC Davis community. "The hope is that everybody who is part of CERT will get basic first aid CPR training, fire extinguisher training and structural assessment knowledge, which could potentially ripple out to other people in the community," Best stated.

The goal is to recruit 20-30 volunteers to ensure that 8-10 can respond during emergencies. UC Davis affiliates are encouraged to volunteer. Training includes monthly hourlong exercises and an annual full-scale exercise supported by emergency responders.

Volunteers will receive gear bags at no cost containing necessary items like personal protective equipment including hard hats and gloves, as well as tools like flashlights and gas valve shutoffs.

While focused on campus responses, CERT's resources and training are also applicable off-campus. Volunteering offers opportunities for social connections among those dedicated to promoting safety.

For more information on CERT, visit Ready.gov.

Julie Huang serves as the news writing and emergency communications intern for News and Media Relations at UC Davis.