Community Organizing | Before, During, and After an Emergency

Did you know? | Individuals who plan and train together as a team in preparation for disaster are more resilient during and immediately following an emergency incident.

This map shows which areas in Oakland have CERT team coverage. If your neighborhood is not covered, consider registering your neighborhood response team with the City of Oakland Fire Department.

This document explains how to register for CERT training as a team.

Before you Start

Know your role. Knowing what role you want to play before, during, and after an emergency will help others in your community relate to you and mentally place themselves alongside you as you begin to discuss potential plans for responding to a disaster or emergency in your neighborhood.

Here are six easy questions to consider as your team determines who should do what and when:

1. Do you like to work with your hands?
2. Are you the kind of person who feels better when everything is written down?
3. Does looking at and touching broken bones or otherwise injured bodies make you uncomfortable?
4. Are you well connected with key decision makers, strategists, and facilitators in your neighborhood?
5. Do you enjoy tallying and tracking people, equipment, and other resources?
6. Have you been trained on the use of special communications equipment and processes?

What to Do

If you are an individual, we recommend that you first complete Oakland's Basic Community Emergency Response Team training course. After that, find a buddy or a partner. Tip: consider finding a buddy who can do something you can't.

Schedule a consultation with a City of Oakland Neighborhood Organizer