In this lesson, you will learn about how a CERT is integrated into the ICS.

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. Identify CERT general operations within the ICS.
2. Determine how to integrate CERT programs into the response framework for an area.

This lesson should take you about 35 minutes to complete.

How and where CERTs are used within the ICS on a given incident and a CERT’s relationship with the local emergency management agency or sponsoring authority are matters of local preference.

Neither FEMA nor this course takes a position on these questions.

CERTs should develop an understanding on these matters with their sponsoring organizations in advance of any activation or incident.

A government agency’s ICS is led by the Incident Commander (IC) who supervises several functional sections: Operations, Planning, Logistics, and Administration. Each functional area is led by a Section Chief.

CERTS similarly organize with the same functional sections, with CERT Section Chiefs reporting to the CERT Team Leader (TL), who in turn reports on all CERT activities to the first fire or law enforcement personnel on the scene and/or to the IC if retained to continue response activities.

Notice how a CERT is functionally organized like an ICS. The main difference is that the CERT is managed by a Team Leader (TL), while the ICS is managed by an IC.

When are CERTs utilized? CERTs respond:

• In the period immediately after a disaster when response resources are overwhelmed or delayed
• When requested in accordance with standard operating procedures developed by the sponsoring organization to assist emergency response personnel
• In planned, nonemergency settings (e.g., special events)

Remember: CERT volunteers are not trained to perform all of the functions or respond to the same degree as professional responders. A CERT is a bridge to professional responders until they arrive.

It has been raining heavily for the past seven days in Emerald City. The Emerald City and Liberty County Emergency Management offices are preparing for a response to a possible flood situation. Residents are starting to ask questions about the rising river and lake levels and are wondering if they will need to leave their homes.

The rain has continued for three more days and the flooding is expected to reach its highest point today. The flooding has caused residents to evacuate their homes in anticipation of rising floodwaters. Basement flooding to the first-floor level is anticipated.
 
The local Nursing Home is assessing the situation to determine if an evacuation of residents is necessary.

The Liaison Officer, with the support of the Public Information Officer, is in contact with business owners to determine if any of their stored chemicals will be affected by the flooding, causing possible contamination downstream.

Based upon previous floods, it is a high priority to establish shelters for evacuees early on. The Emergency Operation Plan preidentified the following shelters: Lawrence College Auditorium and Lafayette Middle School.

Due to the complexity of the incident, the Incident Commander has expanded the Operations Section to include an Evacuation Group. The Evacuation Group Supervisor immediately contacts the Lawrence College President and the Lafayette Middle School Principal to begin the process of establishing shelters in those facilities.

Scenario: Due to the complexity of the incident, the Incident Commander has expanded the Operations Section to include an Evacuation Group.

Upon scene arrival, the first team member on the scene becomes the TL. If multiple members arrive at the same time, the team members select a TL and an alternate and define the staging area/meeting location to be used during an incident response.

CERT volunteers at the preestablished staging area will organize and receive tasking assignments from the TL. The TL may identify runners to serve as a communication link between the staging area and CERT volunteers working in the field.

The staging area is the centralized contact point for the volunteers and for the fire department and other services to interact with the CERT. This centralized contact point simplifies communication of damage assessments and helps to effectively allocate volunteer resources.

The CERT TL directs team activities. While the first person on the scene assumes this duty, that person may hand off that role to a predesignated CERT TL when that person arrives.

The TL organizes the CERT by first assigning section leaders to each of the functional sections: Logistics, Operations, Planning, Administration. These leaders report to the TL, supervise functional section tasks, and account for team volunteers. A manageable span of control is three to seven volunteers reporting to a designated leader.

CERTs typically require the Operations, Planning, and Logistics functions. The CERT TL is responsible for handling or delegating each function. Select each CERT function to learn more.

• CERT Team Leader
• Operations Section
• Planning Section
• Logistics Section
• Administration Section

• Contract negotiation and monitoring
• Timekeeping
• Cost analysis
• Compensation for injury or damage to property

Note: Administration and Finance is a function in the formal ICS; however, CERTs will have very limited involvement, if any, with this function.

• Provides communications
• Provides food and medical support to team volunteers
• Manages supplies and facilities

• Collects and displays information
• Collects and compiles documentation
• Tracks resource status (e.g., number of CERT volunteers who have reported for duty)
• Tracks situation status
• Prepares the Team’s action plan
• Develops alternative strategies
• Provides documentation services

• Directs and coordinates all incident tactical operations
• Is typically one of the first functions to be assigned
• Provides shelter support, crowd and traffic management, and evacuation
• Supports medical operations
• Participates in search and rescue operations
• Manages traffic

• Determines an overall strategy (i.e., What can we do, and how will we do it?)
• Deploys teams and resources (i.e., Who is going to do what?)
• Documents actions and results
• Provides overall leadership for incident response
• Ensures incident safety
• Establishes incident objectives
• Is responsible for all functions until delegated
• Delegates authority to others
• Provides information to internal and external parties
• Establishes and maintains liaison with other responders (e.g., fire, law enforcement, public works, other CERTs)
• Takes direction from an agency official

Just like the government agencies’ ICS, the CERT organizational framework is flexible. It can expand or contract depending on the ongoing assessment priorities determined by the CERT TL and the available people and resources. This expansion and contraction help ensure:

• The CERT does the greatest good for the greatest number – Multiple teams can attend to/assist more people than one team.
• A manageable span of control – Teams of 3-7 people are easy to manage.
• Accountability of CERT volunteers – Volunteers sign in and out as well as steadily report in via their section chief.
• Rescuer safety – Assigning volunteers in small groups ensures they adhere to the buddy system.

As the incident expands, it may be necessary to assign other personnel in each section to handle specific aspects of the response while maintaining an effective span of control.

Let’s look more closely at how the CERT framework expands and contracts.

Your CERT has been assigned to check in evacuees at the shelter set up at the high school. The Operations Sections has a team of 5 people performing that assignment. The TL receives notice that volunteers are needed to knock on doors to ensure an assigned area is evacuated. After a status report from the Operations Section Chief, the TL assigns two of the shelter volunteers and another two volunteers to create a second operations team. Thus, the CERT has expanded from one operational team to two. When the CERT is relieved from one of these assignments, the CERT will revert to one operations team.

CERT volunteers may be placed into a variety of assignments during an incident. Note: that volunteers will only be placed into situations that are suitable for their training and capabilities.

Within a CERT, the ICS structure works as a management tool within a CERT. ICS structure:

• Ensures the safety of responders, community members, and others
• Ensures specific functional areas operate consistently
• Ensures efficient use of resources
• Ensures achievement of incident objectives
• Promotes communication and information flow between the CERT and the IC
• Allows for seamless transfer of responsibility when uniformed responders relieve CERT volunteers upon arrival

You’ve sponsored a CERT, recruited volunteers, and arranged for their training. Your CERT is ready for action. But how does a CERT become part of the larger emergency response framework?

Your CERT sponsor should coordinate with the local, regional, and state emergency managers regarding your CERT’s capabilities, location, and other pertinent information and have your CERT included in the area’s emergency management plans.

The emergency manager should update the jurisdiction’s Emergency Operations Plan to incorporate the CERT into whatever areas the emergency manager thinks the CERT could play a role.

The jurisdiction’s Emergency Operations Plan should mention the CERT, the policies in place for CERT deployment in the jurisdiction, what it may be called upon to do, and what it will not be asked to do. Usually these details are expressed in an annex to the plan. The Emergency Operations Plan should detail the CERT’s roles, functions and capabilities so everyone clearly understands how the CERT fits into the overall emergency management and response.

This lesson discussed how a CERT is integrated into the ICS. You should now be able to:

• Identify CERT general operations within the ICS.
• Determine how to integrate CERT programs into the response framework for an area.