(For CERT Continuing Education, see this page. For CERT instructors, see this page.)
Santa Cruz County CERT offers free public trainings for Santa Cruz County residents. Current public offerings include the CERT Basic Training course and the Stop the Bleed class. CERT members are welcome to attend or repeat these trainings.
CERT Basic Training Course
The CERT Basic Training Course prepares you to help yourself and others at home and in your community in the event of a catastrophic disaster.
It is important to know, if a major disaster occurs, firefighters, paramedics, and police WILL NOT COME! They will be deployed FIRST to major incidents such as collapsed buildings. That is why you constantly hear that you MUST be prepared to take care of yourself. In the CERT course we say, “Do the greatest good for the greatest number of people.” When you are trained, you are far more equipped to deal with your circumstances without needing aid from outside sources.
CERT members are trained in basic disaster response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. You will learn how to prepare for emergencies, what supplies you should NOW have in your house, and most importantly, how to protect your family in an emergency.
Subjects Covered in the CERT Basic Course
- Recent Disasters and Emergencies
- Home and Workplace Preparedness
- Community Preparedness
2. CERT Organization
- CERT Organization
- CERT Mobilization
- The CERT Team in Action
3 & 4. Disaster Medical Operations
- Treating Life-Threatening Conditions
- Triage
- Treating Injuries and Wounds
- Mass Casualty incidents
- Establishing Treatment Areas
- Head to Toe Assessments
- Disaster Psychology
5. Disaster Psychology
- Disaster Reactions
- Self-Care and Team Well-Being
6. Fire Safety and Utility Controls
- Fire Chemistry
- Fire Suppression (for small fires)
- Fire and Utility Hazards
- Hazardous Materials
7. Light Search and Rescue Operations
- Safety During Search and Rescue Operations
- Conducting Search Operations
- Conducting Rescue Operations
8. CERT and Terrorism
- Preparing Your Community
- Active Shooter Situations
- Until Help Arrives
9. Review and Exercise
- Course Review
- Disaster Simulation
- Final Exam
CERT Basic Course — In-Person
The course will consist of 21 hours which combine lecture, discussion, and hands-on skills practice. Most classes include four evenings and one full weekend day session. The course concludes with one full weekend day session that includes classwork, review, and hands-on team activities including search and rescue, extractions, proper use of fire extinguishers, and cribbing. The CERT Basic Course requires attendance at ALL sessions.
This free training is open to Santa Cruz County residents age 13 and up. Youth under 16 must be accompanied by a guardian.
Note: CERT Basic Training is currently a fully in-person training. See the CERT Respiratory Virus Policy.
Upcoming CERT Basic Training dates:
May in Loma Prieta
Tuesdays, May 5 and 12, from 6:00 – 9:30 pm; ALSO Saturdays, May 9 and 16, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm, at Loma Prieta Elementary School, 23800 Summit Rd, Los Gatos/Loma Prieta.
Sign up for this in-person course. Be sure to select the tab for the May 2026 Loma Prieta course.
CERT Basic Course — Online
Not quite ready for in-person learning? Your schedule makes classes impossible? The CERT Basic Course — Online offers online training that covers many of the basics of the full training. You will not be fully trained without attending in-person classes, but it will give you a good start.
The online training is a 12- to 15-hour FEMA-developed online course of instruction and a 2-hour California CERT-developed online triage unit. The online training is broken into 8 units plus a final exam that may be taken at your own pace and convenience. If interested in the online classes, go to https://onlinecert.org. This will re-direct you to the University of Utah, where the online course is maintained. Click on “Online Courses,” and you can register for the free online CERT course in English, Spanish, or Mandarin.
Stop the Bleed Class
In this vital class taught by Santa Cruz County CERT instructors, you will gain the power to save a life. You will learn and practice three easy-to-master techniques for controlling severe bleeding in an emergency situation.
- Apply direct pressure: Learn how to use your hands to effectively compress a wound.
- Pack a wound: Discover how to use packing material to control bleeding.
- Apply a tourniquet: Master the correct way to use a tourniquet to stop the blood flow.
This free training is open to Santa Cruz County residents age 13 and up including CERT members. We hope to offer this training three to four times a year. Youth under 16 must be accompanied by a guardian. Class size is limited because of the hands-on nature of the training.
Upcoming Stop the Bleed class dates:
Saturday, April 25, 2026
10:00 am – 12:00 pm at Central Fire District Administration Building, 930 17th Ave, Santa Cruz, CA 95062.
Stop the Bleed, taught by Santa Cruz County CERT instructors Dr. John Hanley and Joyce Smith.
Class limited to 16 participants.