Burbank CERT Training

Spring 2012 CERT Tower

• Day 1: Saturday, March 10 (0900-1630 hrs, including morning registration)
• Day 2: Saturday, March 24 (0930-1630 hrs)
• Day 3: Saturday, April 7 (0930-1630 hrs)
• Day 4: Saturday, April 14 (0930-1630 hrs)

Classes are conducted every other week for the first three sessions, but close to single week break between the final sessions. The spacing between the second and third sessions allows students the time to study and prepare, while the shortened period to the final session helps keep the information fresh for the comprehensive drill.

Please note that there is a $50 partially refundable fee for the class. This covers the expense of a CERT backpack, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and a CERT manual. Upon successful completion of the CERT class, the graduate will receive a $20 partial refund of their deposit. If the graduate goes on to join the Burbank Fire Corps Program, they will receive an additional $20 partial refund. For further information regarding the partial refunds, scroll down to the CERT Training FAQ.

To reserve a seat, electronic registration will begin Tuesday, February 7th, and be available through Thursday, March 8th. Walk-in registration on the morning of the first day is welcomed, though regrettably, we can only accept cash or checks at the training facility.

Prospective CERT students are encouraged, though not required, to prepare for the class through the Citizen Corps' free, online Independent Study course. This online course is also an excellent refresher for previous CERT graduates.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training is designed to teach self-sufficiency in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Following a major earthquake or similar event, professional first responders, such as fire and medical services, will be unable to respond to every emergency. Unfortunately, it might be your call that goes unanswered. However, trained citizens are prepared before a disaster strikes, and have the skills to help themselves, their family and their neighbors. CERT is about readiness, people helping people and doing the greatest good for the greatest number.

Burbank CERT teaches with a positive and realistic approach. Our CERT classes fully satisfy national FEMA standards, though we boost the 17.5 hour minimum to 24 total hours to give more extensive hands-on training and a greater focus on local hazards. Further, we teach in a condensed four-meeting schedule designed to accommodate folk with a full work week. Prospective students are encouraged to register early. For more information on the CERT program, contact the CERT Training Coordinator.

Burbank CERT training utilizes the Burbank Fire Training Center (FTC), the same classroom and tower facility used by the Burbank Fire Academy to mold recruits into firefighters. Prospective students do not need to be a member of the Burbank Fire Corps to take this class. Students do need to be 18+ years of age, or 16+ with a parent's written permission.

The FTC facility is located at 1845 N. Ontario St., just behind Ralph Foy Park (about two minutes South of Bob Hope Airport).

• Q: I'd like to reserve a seat. Where can I send the check?
• A: The Burbank Fire Corps utilizes the Eventbrite service for pre-registration.

• Q: $20 refund for successful completion? Cool! But what is a "successful" completion?
• A: To be eligible for the $20 partial refund, student must successfully attend and complete all modules of the contiguous CERT Tower. Students that miss any module can make up that module in a future class and receive their certificate of completion, but will not be eligible for the partial refund. Applications for partial refund must be submitted in person on the final day of class.

• Q: I can already tell I'm going to be a big volunteer! How do I get that second $20 refund?
• A: Graduates that are eligible and join the Burbank Fire Corps Volunteer Program within 30 days of completion of CERT class, and remain an active member for at least 6 months, are eligible for an additional $20 partial refund. Applications for partial refund must be submitted in person on the final day of class.

• Q: I'm suffering an old knee injury, but CERT seems really cool. Is there any way I can make it through the class?
• A: Yes. The idea of CERT training is to build preparedness and response capacity in you. While there is definitely a physical aspect to the class, it scales with your own abilities – and it's one of the reasons we give so much hands-on time in class.

• Q: If I couldn't do something because of that knee injury, like victim extrication, am I disqualified from that $20 completion refund?
• A: No. There are roles for everybody in CERT, including directing those that are untrained. As long as a student has perfect attendance, they qualify for the partial refund.

• Q: I'm a business manager/safety officer and just heard about CERT training. Would CERT training be appropriate for our office/shop?
• A: Yes. While CERT Training is not a substitute for all the skill sets required by OSHA 3088, CERT training does meet Cal/OSHA Fire Safety Training requirements for extinguisher operation.

• Q: I've got 25 people I'd like to get CERT trained. Can you teach your class at our facility?
• A: We'd love to train your 25 people. Unfortunately, liability restrictions prevent us from teaching off-site.

• Q: Why do you keep calling the CERT classes a "tower"?
• A: Because we're a fire-based organization. In the fire service, academies are commonly called a tower, named after the training tower recruits master. We're bringing the tradition to CERT.

• Q: Why do the CERT Tower numbers keep bouncing all over?
• A: Burbank Fire started teaching CERT classes in the late 1990s but class records for that early period were lost. So, instead of numbering the classes, we designate each class by its graduation date in a month-year format.

• Q: I've seen glimpses of some phrase around Burbank CERT stuff: "Plurrimi bonus, pro plurrimi populous." What does that mean?
• A: That would be the super-secret prototype catch phrase of the CIT Program. FYI: it's the Latin translation of the CERT philosophy of "The Most Good, for the Most People."

• Q: If I take CERT class with Burbank, does that make me a Burbank volunteer?
• A: No. CERT class provides a critical skill set – one that we strongly encourage our volunteers to have – but it does not make one a Burbank volunteer. If you're interested in learning more about becoming a Burbank Fire Corps volunteer, check our Recruitment page.