The CERT program goes back to the Los Angeles Fire Department in 1985 and the Whittier Narrows Earthquake in 1987. It is based on two realizations: 1) that emergency services, communications, and transportation will be overwhelmed by a major disaster, and 2) that local, probably untrained, citizens will attempt to respond and perform rescue operations. Unfortunately, untrained responders often endanger themselves and others. The need for community-wide emergency response training was recognized and formalized. Today, CERT is organized under Citizen Corps (along with VIPS, the Volunteers In Police Service Program, which we also participate in). CERT volunteers are trained to provide local emergency response within their community during a disaster and to organize other local, possibly untrained, volunteers to work effectively. As such, the mission of CERT is highly complementary to that of the LCSA.