New Canaan’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will launch its winter 2026 training program on Wednesday, Jan. 28. The course is free and open to all New Canaan residents. Participants receive FEMA-developed instruction in disaster response, emergency preparedness, CPR, “Stop the Bleed,” traffic and crowd control, and more.
CERT trains volunteers to assist first responders during emergencies such as storms, power outages, and large-scale town events. “They’re an extraordinary group of people — an extraordinary resource for our town,” said Russ Kimes, Director of Emergency Management. “I couldn’t do my job without their assistance.”
Graduates are not required to join CERT, but those who do become part of a coordinated network that supports police, fire, EMS, and the Emergency Operations Center when needed.
The winter 2026 training dates are:
Wednesdays – Jan. 28, Feb. 11, Feb. 18 (6:30 PM–9:30 PM)
Saturdays – Jan. 31, Feb. 7, Feb. 28 (8:00 AM–12:00 PM)
Each participant receives a fully equipped emergency backpack upon completing the course. CERT’s 105 active members logged more than 1,660 hours of service in 2024, assisting during weather events and major town gatherings like the Fourth of July, May Fair, and Veterans Day.
To register or learn more, visit www.newcanaancert.org.
