Now's the time if you would like to help our community during the impact of the
COVID -19 Pandemic! 
Next Hamden CERT Basic Training Class starts on Thursday, February 17th.
"Check us out & see, we have something for everyone!" 
 

The Hamden Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will be conducting a Basic 8-Week, FEMA Certified 20 Hour Training Course starting on Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022 at the Dunbar Hill Fire Station #8, 420 Dunbar Hill Road in Hamden.

​

Classes will be conducted once a week starting at 6:30 p.m. and will be approximately two- and one-half hours. This course will be open to anyone over the age of 18 who has an interest in Emergency Preparedness or helping the Hamden Community during emergencies and pre-planned community events. The training will consist of: Basic & Disaster First Aid, Light Search and Rescue Techniques, Control of Home Utilities, Fire Extinguisher Training, Traffic Safety, along with the Goals and Protocols of the FEMA Sponsored, Nationally Recognized, CERT Program. Attendance at all classes is mandatory for certification of this program.

​

Applications will be available on our website at: www.hamdencert.com and must be completed, signed and returned to the Office of the Fire Chief, 2372 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT. 06518 no later than February 10th. For any additional information, feel free to contact us through our website or email at: hamdenctcert@gmail.com.

"To  Our CERT Sister Carol Teodosio, You Will Be Remembered Forever!
Thank You For All You Have Done
For So Many, RIP." 

"See our 2021 Annual Report on our News Page!"
 

Congratulations to Our Students from our 19th CERT Basic Class, that started on September 9th!  Now graduated, with their FEMA Certification, they are now ready
to use the skills:
"That Can Make a Difference! "

(See more info about CERT Training on our History & Training Page.)
Our next scheduled class will be starting in February 2022.  

As summer has now arrived and we hope for less social distancing and restrictions, we would just like to share with you what Hamden CERT has been accomplishing over the last 3 months, during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Since the FEMA sponsored, Community Emergency Response Team Program (CERT) is all about helping our community, as our purpose, we have been very busy.

​

Just to review, the CERT Program is a 3-Fold Program with specific goals. First, members make sure to protect and secure themselves and their family during any emergency. Second, when able to, members reach out to their neighbors to support any needs.  Third, when safe and available, members reach out and connect with other team members to supply any assets or support to their community as part of the trained and certified team. With the lack of community events that we are accustom to over the past years like Fireworks, Concerts, Food Truck Festivals and other major events, many of our members were concerned about what other activities we could support. In reviewing the first half of year (2019) compared to what we have done over the last 23 weeks, it was very surprising to see what has transpired!

​

Last year Hamden CERT Members contributed over 600 service hours from January to August, supporting community events. This year starting with the pandemic impact starting around the middle of March, our volunteers have provided much needed support to many of the vital services required by our community members. I would like to share with you what the dedicated volunteers of Hamden CERT have accomplished over the last 15 weeks.

​

Food Distribution – 10 total events, packaging & distribution – 720 Hours, serving over 2,400 meals to needy families. (Averaging 200 to 300 cars per event)

​

Points of Distribution for PPE – 11 POD’s totaling – 137 Hours, distributing hundreds of face masks and digital thermometers to area small business owners.

​

Food Deliveries, Assisting Hamden Elderly Services – 11 Deliveries – 98 Hours – making weekly deliveries every Tuesday to homebound elderly residents throughout Hamden.

The mission statement of Hamden CERT is all about people helping people and as you can see, we take pride for the fact that we work alongside our First Responders and are also an exclusive part of Hamden Emergency Management.

(See Our Mission Statement below.)

​

​

Mission Statement – Hamden, Ct. CERT

The mission of the Hamden Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is to assist our families, neighbors and community, along with our local Police & Fire Departments when needed. Our team is FEMA Certified, trained and available to provide logistical support for any large-scale emergency or planned community event that would deplete the on-duty first responder personnel.

Hamden CERT is also the volunteer branch of Hamden OEM (Office of Emergency Management). Members are always available to assist all operations of Hamden’s EOC (Emergency Operations Center) and trained to manage any Mass Care Sheltering Operations, Points of Distribution for food, water or medications or any other logistical needs!

​

Continued:

​

Hamden CERT Members were also able to support the Grace & St. Peters Episcopal Church: “Dinner for a Dollar” in collecting $570 from our CERT Members to support and serve 2 Dinners, serving close to 200 community members! During this time, we were also able to assist our Hamden Fire Department Personnel, with logistical support and rehabilitation services during the 3 weeks of Live Burn Training that was held during the month of May, totaling 150 hours. As we head into the month of July, we are now preparing and planning for the “Drive-by Hamden High School Graduation” where we will be assisting with the logistics of directing and parking  over 400 vehicles that will drive by the portable stage at Hamden Town Center Park and allow the graduates to receive their diploma’s.

“I’m sure that I speak for all of our members when I say: thank you to Mayor Leng, Chief Merwede, Fire Department Staff and Personnel for allowing our members to participate and be part of the team that provides so many vital services to our community on a daily basis.” It is always an honor to serve alongside of our First Responders, especially during this national emergency and trying times over the last few months.

​

“Please remember to be safe and do your part, for all of us during this difficult time. We are all in this together!”   

Respectfully submitted,

R.J. Freeman Jr.

Hamden CERT

Thank you to Porto's Tire Service of Hamden, CT. for their generous donation of 4 Chrome Wheel Covers for our Hamden CERT Emergency Response Vehicle! A Special "Thank You" goes out to Hamden CERT Member Marc Goldberg for making this happen! We truly appreciate your recognition of our service to the Hamden community and are proud to have you as a member of our team! 

We would like to take the time to send a special thanks to the members of the

Dunbar Hill Fire Company #8 for their hospitality and opening their meeting hall to our Hamden CERT Members for our monthly meetings and trainings. Their generous proposal allows us to hold our basic training classes there also.

"Their generosity allows us to have a place to hold all of our activities and also have a place to call home!"

The funds raised by the rental of their hall are used for the upkeep & improvements of their station and equipment. If you know of anyone who is interested in the rental of the hall, please contact them through the information provided below. "We sincerely thank the membership of Dunbar Hill Station #8 Volunteers for reaching out to us and proving again the affiliation and teamwork of Volunteer Emergency Services helping our community to be a better and safer place for all of us!"