The Arcata Community Emergency Response Team (Arcata CERT) is part of a nationwide network, under FEMA, of volunteer emergency workers who have been trained in basic disaster response skills such as light search and rescue, medical triage, fire suppression, cribbing, damage assessment, and team organization. In the event of a major disaster, Arcata CERT members will be able to assist their neighborhoods until professional first responders are able to arrive on the scene. Arcata CERT members have also taken on various leadership roles to help Arcata neighborhoods to proactively become safer and more self-sufficient in the event of a long-term emergency.

In addition to basic CERT training, many of our members have been trained in first aid/CPR/AED, and quite a few bring to the table their extensive experience as EMTs, nurses, ham radio operators, Red Cross workers, SCOP volunteers, teachers, and/or administrators.

Arcata CERT meets monthly and is sponsored by the Arcata Police Department.