VIDEO: How to Join Nashua's Citizen Disaster Response Team

There are still a total of 10 openings available for a place on the city's inaugural Community Emergency Response Team free training course.

You can choose between an a six-week session at or an intensive three-week version held at the Lake Street Fire Station, both culminating in a joint hands-on training session and resulting in certification as a volunteer member of Nashua's CERT team.

If these two classes fill up a waiting list will begin for a second training session, TBA.

Watch the video featuring Nashua Emergency Management Director Justin Kates to understand more about the team training.

Click here to register for Nashua's CERT Training course.

Course I: Held at Daniel Webster College, 20 University Drive, March 21 - April 30, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and final course/testing day, May 4, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Application deadline: March 13.

Course II: Held at Nashua Lake Street Fire Station, 177 Lake St., April 20 and 27, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and final course/testing day, May 4, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Application deadline: April 10.

Questions? Contact Nashua Office of Emergency Management at 603-589-3260 or katesj@nashuanh.gov.

About CERT:

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is an all-risk, all-hazard training. This valuable course is designed to help you protect yourself, your family, your neighbors and your neighborhood in an emergency situation.

CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens may initially be on their own and their actions can make a difference. While people will respond to others in need without the training, one goal of the CERT program is to help them do so effectively and efficiently without placing themselves in unnecessary danger. In the CERT training, citizens learn to:

• Manage utilities and put out small fires
• Treat the three medical killers by opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating for shock
• Provide basic medical aid
• Search for and rescue victims safely
• Organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective
• Collect disaster intelligence to support first responder efforts