VOLUNTEER

Why Do We Need YOU?

CERT provides an excellent opportunity for Morgan Hill citizens to play an important role in helping to safeguard, prepare for and respond to major emergencies and disasters in our community.

If a disastrous event overwhelms or delays the community's professional response, CERT members can assist others by applying the basic response and organizational skills they learned during training. These skills can help save and sustain lives following a disaster until help arrives. CERT skills apply to daily emergencies as well.

The CERT course benefits anyone who takes it. Graduates are better prepared to respond to and cope with the aftermath of natural disasters. Neighborhood groups receiving CERT training become closer-knit and are able to help each other when disaster strikes. CERT training provides people with information and experience that is unavailable anywhere else in most communities.

Who Can Volunteer?

Currently we are seeking CERT team members at least 18 years of age and reside in Morgan Hill or the surrounding Santa Clara County. (14 year olds may join but require parents permission and can not serve as a Disaster Service Worker [DSW] until 18 years old.)

The primary qualification for volunteering with CERT is making a commitment:

To take classes provided by the City of Morgan Hill in emergency preparedness, response capabilities, first aid, fire suppression and search and rescue procedures. (Register here.)
To educate your family, friends and neighbors on emergency preparedness and what to do in the event of an emergency.
To help neighbors and co-workers take an active role in protecting themselves from harm by helping them develop a family disaster preparedness plan and preparing a disaster supplies kit, observe home health and safety practices, implement disaster mitigation measures, and participate in crime prevention and reporting.
To participate in volunteer opportunities that will make the community safer.
To maintain skills learned during CERT training.

How Can You Participate?

For more information please contact info@mhcert.com or call Morgan Hill's Office of Emergency Services (408-776-7310) and talk to Jennifer Ponce, City of Morgan Hill OES Coordinator.