When a disaster hits Pickens County, the first responders most people will see are not professionals. They will be neighbors. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is the program that trains those neighbors.
CERT is hosted by Pickens County Emergency Management. United Way of Pickens County is supporting the program's launch with outreach and coordination, helping community members find the information they need to take part.
What CERT Trains You To Do
In the hours and days after a major incident, professional responders may be stretched thin or delayed reaching every neighborhood. CERT prepares everyday residents to safely take care of their households, their neighbors, and their workplaces until help arrives. CERT training is hands-on and covers:
- Disaster preparedness for your home and community
- Team organization and how CERT works during an incident
- Basic disaster medical operations
- Disaster psychology and managing stress
- Fire safety and utility awareness
- Light search and rescue basics
- A final scenario exercise to put your skills into practice
Who Leads Pickens County CERT
Pickens County CERT is hosted and sponsored by Pickens County Emergency Management (PCEM), the agency responsible for emergency response in Pickens County. United Way is supporting PCEM with outreach and launch coordination for the 2026 cohort, with help from a time-limited American Red Cross grant. PCEM remains the lead agency for the program over the long term.
After Your Training
Once you complete CERT training, how you stay involved is up to you. Some graduates take CERT to better prepare their own households. Others choose to remain engaged through volunteer opportunities at community events, tabling and information sessions to share CERT awareness, additional training and tabletop exercises, or activations when called upon by PCEM.
CERT volunteers do not self-deploy. When support is needed, CERT is activated through Pickens County Emergency Management's process, and volunteers serve under local direction.
Watch a Quick Introduction to CERT
A quick overview of what CERT is and how it supports community readiness.
Apply for the Next Cohort
CERT-specific details, including prerequisites, background check requirements, schedule, and expectations, are included in the application.
For questions about CERT, please contact Theresa Singletary, Long-Term Recovery Group Coordinator, tsingletary@uwpickens.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. CERT is designed for community members. No prior emergency response experience is required.
Cohort-specific commitments are listed in the application. Most CERT training programs include a series of classes over several weeks, plus a final scenario exercise.
NEED INFO
Not necessarily. Participation beyond the class is optional. CERT volunteers are activated by Pickens County Emergency Management when needed, but graduation does not commit you to any future activations.
Related Programs
Pickens County also has a Long-Term Recovery Group that coordinates support for families and communities for the months and years it takes to rebuild after a disaster. CERT and LTRG together represent the short-term and long-term sides of disaster response in Pickens County.