Eight community members graduate FEMA CERT Basic Training

Travis Maddox, TCERT Director

HOUSTON, Mo. — The Texas County Emergency Response Team (TCERT) announced the graduation of eight community members from its FEMA-authorized Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Basic Training course.

The 24-hour classroom program prepares civilians to support their neighbors when professional responders are delayed or overwhelmed. Graduates completed instruction in disaster response, trauma first aid, fire safety, urban search and rescue (USAR) principles, Incident Command System (ICS), and disaster psychology.

CERT training gives residents practical skills they can use immediately at home and in their neighborhoods: stopping severe bleeding, treating shock, sizing up hazards, organizing small teams, and supporting responders once they arrive. In a rural county, those first minutes and hours matter. Trained neighbors reduce demand on already stretched fire, EMS, and law enforcement resources and help keep families safer until help can reach them.

These eight graduates have taken the first formal step in a longer volunteer path. CERT Basic Training is the foundation. Many participants go on to additional TCERT training, exercises, and operational roles supporting search and rescue, medical response, fire rehabilitation, and disaster operations across Texas County.

“Last night we graduated eight more people from our CERT Basic Training program,” TCERT posted. “They all did a great job learning Disaster Response, Trauma First Aid, Fire Safety, USAR, Incident Command and Disaster Psychology. Congratulations!”

TCERT is a nonprofit emergency response organization headquartered in Texas County and operating throughout the region.

Community members interested in the next CERT Basic Training class or other volunteer opportunities with TCERT are encouraged to contact the team through its official Facebook page or county emergency management channels.