Summary
Highlights
Assistant Chief Frank Borden, known as the 'father of CERT', discusses the program's origins. The concept was inspired by observations of earthquake preparedness in Japan in 1985, where trained community members handled medical, evacuation, and fire suppression tasks. This contrasted with the Mexico City earthquake also in 1985, where over 10,000 lives were lost, including 100 untrained rescuers, due to a lack of awareness of post-disaster dangers.
Following these experiences, Chief Borden led a team to Mexico City to learn from the disaster and improve Los Angeles's response operations. Recognizing that emergency resources could be overwhelmed in a major event, he developed a concept paper in 1986 for a community-based, self-sufficient neighborhood response plan. This plan aimed to empower citizens with training to assist their communities, particularly given Los Angeles's vulnerability to earthquakes and wildfires.
The CERT program began with highly skilled instructors training community members. By 1991, FEMA recognized Los Angeles's program as the best in the country, leading to its expansion across the United States. The federal government's involvement helped formalize and standardize CERT, ensuring consistent guidelines as it grew rapidly.
Today, all 50 U.S. states have formal CERT programs, and the initiative has blossomed into a highly successful model for even smaller municipalities and volunteer departments. Assistant Chief Borden expresses immense pride in the program's evolution, noting its 'sky's the limit' future. The program's importance is underscored by its international adoption in countries like Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, China, and Laos, with over 2,800 active programs in the U.S. alone.