Starting a CERT Program
Step 3: Gaining Support & Recruiting
Gaining Support From Local Leaders
Regardless of how you fund your program, the support of local elected and appointed officials will be necessary, even if only to support the time that you will spend as Program Coordinator. In most communities, however, you will need the support of local leaders prior to startup because, ultimately, local leaders control program funding.
To gain the support of local leaders, try the tips listed below:
Do your research first. The more knowledgeable you are about CERTs, what they can do, how much they cost, and the benefits they can provide the community, the more credibility you will have with those who control the decisionmaking and the purse strings. Use the "white paper" you developed to support your program strategy as your basis to ensure that you can answer as many questions as possible about what CERTs can do for your community's response efforts. Provide several success stories about how CERTs have been used in other (preferably similar) communities.
Determine your approach. As with nearly any program, CERT can be approached in terms of, "It's a real resource!" or "It's another new program!" Undoubtedly, the first approach will bring you more success. Be ready to provide examples of how CERTs supplement local response resources, and be prepared to explain how you can make that happen in your community.
Offer CERT as a potential resource for multiple agencies. CERT personnel are able and willing to help in a variety of settings. Suggest that they can help with tasks, such as installing smoke detectors and batteries, providing medical assistance at local parades and community events, or helping staff fire safety awareness booths at fire station open houses. The more versatile you can show CERTs to be, the more likely it is that you'll gain approval for the program.
Keep elected officials in the loop. Include local elected officials on emailing lists or newsletter mailing lists so that they are aware of what you're doing to make CERTs successful and how CERTs are benefiting the community. Keep them aware of the progress you're making–how many CERTs you've trained, how often they've been activated, and whether there's a backlog of requests for training–so that the program stays "on their desks." When your program demonstrates its worth, let the elected officials take the credit. Invite local elected officials and chief officers to hand out certificates at graduation. Look for opportunities to make elected officials a visible part of the program to the community.
Finally, if your CERT program is established but doesn't have the support from local leaders that it needs, try scheduling an exercise or other event to demonstrate how CERTs operate and the benefits that a CERT can offer to the community. Invite local officials to an exercise involving CERTs–or schedule an exercise in a public place that will gain the attention of the media.