FEMA sponsored training in and around Cuyahoga County:

1. Full FEMA Training Course: The next training session begins October 2 , 2019. It will be every Wednesday from October 2 through November 20 . The class is from 6 PM -9ish PM at the Independence Fire Departmentl. Contact Mary Benedek for futher information and to sign up for the class.
2. Southwest General Hospital has CERT training class begining September 11. The calendar of topics is here for anyone that needs to make up a class.
3. Cuyahoga County EMA sponsored "Disaster Ready Congregations" with faith based organization workshops. Here is the link to the flyer.
   
   The Cuyahoga County Office of Emergency Management and the Geauga County Emergency Management Office along with the and the United Methodist Church- Connecting Neighbors Initiative is sponsoring a disaster ready workshop for the faith based community.
   
   A 4-hour program intended for volunteers willing to inspire other congregants to minimize emergency/disaster outcomes which cause harm to people and property and to respond to neighbors in helpful, cooperative and caring ways on behalf of your House of Worship. Thhis program is for everyone, Houses of Worship leaders, Sunday school superintendent, lay leaders, mission coordinators, treasurers, finance, safety and security committee members, youth adult and youth representatives.
   
   Module 1: Ready Congregants
   Module 2: Ready Churches
   Module 3: Ready Response
   For Questions regarding Geauga County workshops, please contact Tom Vencl at Vencl, Thomas tvencl@CO.GEAUGA.OH.US (440.279.2172)
   Thursday - October 17th – Geauga CO
   Saturday - October 26th – Cuyahoga CO
   Saturday - November 9th – Geauga CO
   Thursday - November 14th – Cuyahoga CO

CERT is ultimately under the FEMA umbrella. Our members are not required to become FEMA certified, we do however encourage each CERT member to complete the certification. In addition, there are certain events that will require FEMA certified volunteers. There is no cost for the training.

The Notheast Ohio Region often hosts the FEMA CERT training classes. Typically it is 20 hours of class and an drill event are required to complete the certification. The next class is scheduled for March 2016, but if you want to get a head start, there are several on-line courses you can take. Use this link..

According to the state of Ohio, anyone who responds outside of their local community is required to be registered at the Ohio Responds  website. Please make sure you are using Firefox, Chrome, or Internet Explorer version 8, 9, 10, or 11.
If you have not registered yet, please do so and the members of the board can help you get activated.
You will be asked to upload the pdf files for three certificates so have them handy when you register.  There is a sidebar that indicates the % completion of your registration and your account status. 
To update your credentials, choose the "MY PROFILE" page.

Here are some suggestions to complete your registration efficiently: The Training Section

(1)      Before registering, volunteers must complete some form of relevant training.  There are a variety of trainings that count (e.g., CERT Basic Training, CPR/AED, first aid, or a FEMA online course).

(2)      In order to register, volunteers must be confirmed members of a CERT.  Some CERTs require individuals to complete the CERT Basic Training before their membership takes effect and, therefore, before they can register with Ohio Responds.  That is fine as long as everyone understands that if members are participating in any activities before their Ohio Responds registration is accepted, they are not covered for liability.

(3)      A certificate for the training needs to be uploaded.

In an effort to document volunteer training, the state of Ohio has implemented the Ohio CERT Training Recognition Program. This program consists of three levels of training: Basic, Intermediate and Advanced.

NIMS Credentialing Criteria for CERTs (effective August 17, 2015)
To receive a PIV-I (Personal Identity Verification-Interoperable) card, CERT volunteers must...
1. Be a member of a CERT that is registered with FEMA.
2. Be registered with and accepted by Ohio Responds.
3. Sign a loyalty oath as prescribed by federal and state legislation.
4. Have a clear background check (see Appendix A).
5. Complete the following training and submit provider certificates:

a. CERT Basic Training, classroom version

b. IS-700 National Incident Management System An Introduction, any revision

c. IS-100 Introduction to Incident Command System, any revision

d. IS-200 ICS for Single Resources and Initial Action Incidents, any revision

e. Radio Operation (see Appendix B)

6. Qualify for one of the following tasks (see Appendix B):

a. Damage Assessment

b. First Aid

c. Points of Dispensing (PODs)

d. Sheltering

e. Wide Area Search

7. Education: Must be able to understand and communicate in the English language with reasonable accommodation.

8. Experience: None

9. Certification/Licensure: None

10. Physical/Medical/Behavioral Fitness: Will be determined at time of deployment.