The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Corps is offering a free Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Academy beginning Thursday, October 15, 2026, for residents interested in learning how to better prepare for and assist during emergencies in our community.
The CERT Academy provides residents with the knowledge and skills needed to better prepare themselves, their families and their community during an emergency. Training includes disaster preparedness, emergency medical techniques, fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster psychology and other emergency response topics.
Recent wildfires, including the Bug and Hawk fires, demonstrated the important role trained volunteers can play when our community is impacted by a large-scale emergency. CERT volunteers provided valuable support throughout both incidents, assisting public safety personnel and helping meet the needs of affected communities.
Becoming a CERT volunteer starts before an emergency occurs. Community members interested in supporting future emergency response efforts are encouraged to complete the academy now so they have the training and preparation necessary to serve when they are needed.
The program consists of six training sessions over two consecutive weekends, and all sessions must be completed to graduate. Training is conducted by Citizen Corps staff, volunteers and subject matter experts. No previous emergency response experience or special skills are required. Participants ages 16 and 17 may attend with parental permission.
The October CERT Academy will be held at the Regional Public Safety Training Center, 5190 Spectrum Boulevard, on the following dates:
Thursday, October 15 through Saturday, October 17 and Thursday, October 22 through Saturday, October 24.
Upon successful completion of the academy, participants will have valuable emergency preparedness skills and will be eligible to continue the process of becoming a Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Corps volunteer.
CERT volunteers support the community during emergencies as well as throughout the year by assisting professional responders during training and exercises, providing traffic control, staffing first aid booths, assisting with community events and supporting other public safety efforts.
To learn more about the CERT program or apply for the October academy, visit Washoesheriff.com/CERT.
For additional information, contact the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Corps at (775) 325-6928 or WCSOCERT@washoecounty.gov.
