Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
The City of Boston's Community Emergency Response Team is a trained volunteer group of individuals. In an emergency or large-scale City event, they can be activated and assembled to assist the City in response efforts.
The City of Boston CERT program is a member of and recognized by the National CERT Association. The Boston CERT Program is a great way for residents of Boston who are interested in supporting the City's emergency response efforts to get involved. You'll also be more prepared to respond to an emergency situation on any scale.
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Pamper Your Drain
Become A CERT Member
CERT Member Eligibility
- You must be 18 to become a member. If you are younger than 18, you can take the training, but you will not become a member of the team until you turn 18.
- You will be required to fill out an application that will be provided at the final training session of the CERT training program.
- Applicants must go through a background check.
Online CERT Course Registration
Those interested in participating in the Boston CERT program must complete the registration form for the Online CERT Courses linked below. This will allow you to begin the online portion of the training courses.
Access and Functional Needs (AFN) CERT Basic Class Schedule
Week 1 - Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - Boston CERT Orientation (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Week 2 - Tuesday, April 14, 2025 - Unit 1 : Disaster Preparedness and Unit 2 : CERT Organization (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Week 3 - Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - Unit 3: Disaster Medical Operations and Unit 4 : Disaster Medical Operations (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Week 4 - Tuesday, April 28, 2026 - Unit 5: Disaster Psychology Part 1 (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Week 5 - Tuesday, May 05, 2026 - Unit 6: Fire Safety and Utility Controls (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Week 6 - Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Unit 7 : Hazardous Materials (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Week 7 - Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Unit 5: Disaster Psychology Part 2(10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Week 8 - Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Unit 8: Terrorism and Cybersecurity (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Week 9 - Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - Unit 9 : Course Review, Final Exam, and Disaster Simulation (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.)
Boston CERT Graduation 2026 - July 7, 2026 at 6PM !
Evening CERT Basic Class Schedule
Week 1 - Tuesday, April 7, 2026 - Boston CERT Orientation (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Week 2 - Tuesday, April 14, 2025 - Unit 1 : Disaster Preparedness and Unit 2 : CERT Organization (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Week 3 - Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - Unit 3: Disaster Medical Operations and Unit 4 : Disaster Medical Operations (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Week 4 - Tuesday, April 28, 2026 - Unit 5: Disaster Psychology Part 1 (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Week 5 - Tuesday, May 05, 2026 - Unit 6: Fire Safety and Utility Controls (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Week 6 - Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Unit 7 : Hazardous Materials (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Week 7 - Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Unit 5: Disaster Psychology Part 2 (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Week 8 - Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - Unit 8: Terrorism and Cybersecurity (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Week 9 - Tuesday, June 2, 2026 - Unit 9 : Course Review, Final Exam, and Disaster Simulation (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Boston CERT Graduation 2026 - July 7, 2026 at 6PM !
Saturday CERT Basic Class Schedule
First Month - Saturday, April 11, 2026 (9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.)
- Unit 1: Disaster Preparedness
- Unit 2: CERT Organization
- Unit5: Disaster Psychology Part 1
Second Month - Saturday, May 9, 2026 (9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.)
- Unit 3: Disaster Medical Operations
- Unit 4: Disaster Medical Operations
- Unit 6: Fire Safety and Utility Controls
Third Month - Saturday, June 13, 2026 (9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.)
- Unit 7: Light Search and Rescue Operations
- Unit 5: Disaster Psychology Part 2
- Unit 8: Terrorism and Cybersecurity
- Unit 9: Course Review, Final Exam, and Disaster Simulation
Boston CERT Graduation 2026 - July 7, 2026 at 6PM !
Emergency skill-based training
UNTIL HELP ARRIVES
"Until Help Arrives" is a hybrid, three-hour emergency skill-based training available to residents. You'll learn response skills that can be used to respond to life-threatening emergency situations. In this course, you'll be taught:
- how to stop the bleed
- how to protect the injured from harm
- how to position the injured so they can breathe, and
- what information to collect for first responders.
Register for training
To register for an Until Help Arrives course, follow the link below.
Pamper Your Drain
The Boston CERT Pamper Your Drain initiative allows community members to adopt a drain in their neighborhood for 6 months and keep it clean of debris and trash. This initiative is a made possible through collaboration with the following partners:
- Boston Water Sewer Commission
- Boston Public Works
- Spark Boston
- Boston's Green Infrastructure Department, and
- Eastie Farm.
Adopt a drain near you to pamper today by clicking the link below:
Who's Involved:
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Pamper Your Drain
