Emergency Response Team

Mission Statement

Capabilities of the Team

The Berwyn Heights Emergency Response Team is comprised of CERT qualified residents and Non-CERT qualified residents in support Roles.  CERT members have been certified by the Prince George’s County of Emergency Management as individuals that have completed the prescribed courses enabling them to perform disaster related functions including; Disaster Triage, Disaster First-Aid, C.P.R, Light Fire Suppression, Light Search and Rescue, Disaster Psychology, The National Incident Command Structure, and other related prescribed courses. 

The team is trained and supplied to respond to situations where professional first-responders are either delayed or unable to respond in a timely manner.  We are capable of leading and supplying residents in the removal of debris from roadways to enable professional first-responders access to our community.

The team is a Disaster Response and Recovery unit, and is available as supplemental personnel to our local fire and police departments upon their desire and discretion.   Our team is capable of establishing a command structure, deploying rescue personnel, approaching and evaluating a structure, searching for victims, extracting victims and treating victims.  We are able to set up and maintain temporary shelters, a reception and registration area for volunteers, a field medical station, an evacuation area, and an area for the distribution of water and the segregation of medical waste.

We are capable of providing our police department with power and the ability to recharge radio batteries.

Key responsibilities

To provide leadership and minimize suffering of residents during local disasters when professional first-responders are not available or are overwhelmed. Our team is also responsible for the continuation and continuity of government, and as such can establish a temporary command center for our local government with communications, power, computer, printer, lighting and more.