Starting a CERT Program

Step 3: Gaining Support & Recruiting

Marketing CERT

people shaking hands

In many communities, once started, CERT has sold itself as a valuable program. As a new CERT Program Coordinator, you need to determine how will you initially "sell" your program to local elected officials, employers, and citizens. As you consider the tips provided below, think about other ways that you might market the CERT program. For example, you should consider:

Overall Marketing Steps

Listed below are suggested steps for marketing your CERT program:

Step 1: Identify Potential CERT Partners. There are some "ready-made" partners for CERT in nearly every community. The groups listed below are good examples of "ready-made" CERT partners. (See the checklist for Developing Partnerships.)
  • Homeowner associations
  • Neighborhood associations
  • Communities of faith
  • Business district associations
  • Grange associations
  • Schools or PTAs
  • Scouting organizations
  • ARES/RACES/Amateur radio associations
Identify the "ready-made" partners in your community. They may be perfect as model CERTs.
Step 2: Develop an Outreach Program. After identifying audiences that could benefit from CERT training, figure out a way to reach them. Arrange to speak to potential audiences. Explain the issues involved in emergency response and explain how CERT training can improve preparedness and enable neighborhoods or workplaces to take care of themselves.
Step 3: Develop and Disseminate Marketing Materials. Get your message out! Prepare media releases, distribute flyers in target neighborhoods, place articles in neighborhood association newsletters, or distribute information at community events. Think creatively about how to let your potential audience know that CERTs exist, what they do, and how to participate. Include a contact phone number or email address in case people have questions-and respond to inquiries promptly! When you do this, make sure the people who will receive these inquires know about CERT. If they do not handle the inquiries deftly, it will reflect badly on your program.
Step 4: Pitch to the Media. Go public! Provide the media with footage or photo opportunities involving CERTs in action. Ask CERT volunteers to speak to the media about the benefits they've received through CERT training. Develop media releases that send the message about CERTs. Be prepared for the results of media coverage!

Marketing CERT to Employers

Employers can be a huge asset to your CERT program. (Your "white paper" will be a critical tool for gaining the support you need.) Aside from the benefit of increased preparedness to the entire community, employers are a major source of contributions to CERT programs nationwide. To gain the support of employers in your community:

Arrange a Meeting. Meeting with business leaders face to face shows your commitment to the CERT program. It also provides you with an opportunity to:
  • Identify potential threats to the community and the business.
  • Emphasize the benefits to both the community and the business.
  • Develop trust that a partnership with the CERT program will create benefits for them. For example, CERT may become part of their business continuity plan or may meet some of their OSHA requirements for training employees.
Conduct the Meeting. When meeting with business leaders:
  • Spell out what you can offer them and how they can assist you.
  • Present a complete plan (your "white paper," including goals and objectives, the respective roles of all partners, your proposed timeline for implementing the program, and how business leaders can evaluate the benefits of the program).
  • Stress what's in it for them. Emphasize the benefits of increased preparedness and of having trained response teams onsite. Point out the benefits to the larger community as well. Bring examples of how CERTs have been used in the workplace to demonstrate your points.
Remember, the end result must be tangible for you to gain corporate support.
Follow Up. Send a letter to thank the business leaders for allowing you to speak to them. Use the thank you as an opportunity to market your key points one more time. Indicate a timeframe when you will contact them again to see how you can work together.

Marketing CERT to Responders and Bargaining Unit Employees

In the past, there has been some misunderstanding of the CERT program by first responders and other bargaining unit employees. While these misunderstandings have not stopped CERT programs, it is good to be aware of the potential issues and address them early. Some tips for working with responders and other bargaining unit employees include:

Early Involvement. It is important for responders and other bargaining unit employees to understand the strengths and limitations of CERTs and to be reassured that CERTs are not intended to take the place of trained first-response personnel. CERTs supplement their capability and can be a resource to them.
Continuous Involvement. Provide courtesy copies of the CERT curriculum for review. Ask responders to provide feedback on the materials, and solicit suggestions for "customizing" the program to better meet the community's needs. Use response personnel as trainers and coaches during the training. Feedback from many CERT programs indicate that department personnel involvement during training is a very positive experience for participants and responders.

Marketing CERT to Citizens

If you have been approached by local employers or citizens' groups about establishing a CERT program, your marketing requirements may be limited. But if your community has little experience with CERT and is unaware of the benefits that CERTs can provide, you will need to market the program more intensely to these potential stakeholders. To gain the support and involvement of local employers and citizens:

Select "Pilot" Groups. Review the demographics of your community to identify the employers and citizens' groups that you think would serve as the best models for CERT. Then, limit your initial marketing (you can expand your marketing later) to the leaders of these groups, expanding within the groups after you get "buy-ins" from the leaders. Members of these groups can join you after the training as spokespersons for the program.
Emphasize the Benefits of CERT. Enabling private citizens or workplace teams to prepare for emergencies and take care of themselves is a powerful enticement for CERT. You may also identify other benefits for initiating a CERT program based on how CERTs will be used in your area. CERT participants:
  • Maintain a high level of home and workplace preparedness.
  • Are more informed about risks and vulnerabilities in the community or workplace.
  • Are committed to the safety and well-being of their neighbors or coworkers.
  • Increase the credibility of neighbor-to-neighbor information, which helps to limit rumors and directs energy toward a positive response.
Be sure to stress that disasters can happen and that the government may not be able to meet their needs immediately, but that there is something that community members can do about it–they can become trained CERT volunteers.