About Us & What We Do
Our Mission
We supply free disaster preparedness information, classes, and training to residents of Martinez and Pacheco. We provide trained CERT volunteers to respond to emergency and disaster events when summoned by The City of Martinez. We maintain a state of personal and team readiness.
Our Basic Training Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area, and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Our continuing education classes invite members to add to their skill set and keep those learned skills sharp. Our mini classes are offered to the entire community, with the goal providing useful information and guidance.
The Martinez Area CERT Foundation
The Martinez Area CERT Foundation was formed in 2021 and serves to provide equipment and supplies, promote awareness and raise funds for Martinez Area CERT. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity recognized by the IRS and California Franchise Tax Board to accept tax deductible gifts. The Foundation is comprised of a volunteer Board of Directors and at-large community members from the Martinez Area CERT organization sponsored by the Martinez Police Department. All donations are tax deductible! We will send you a confirmation letter for your tax records. Thank you for considering a donation to CERT. Visit The Foundation website here: martinezcertfndn.org
CERT Membership
To become a CERT member, you complete the free CERT Basic Training course and participate in at least one exercise per year. After Basic Training, you are invited to become a registered Disaster Service Worker (DSW) and become involved in community response efforts and provide valuable services during emergencies. All CERT members abide by our Code of Conduct. Our more active members are encouraged to join us in our Leadership Areas. Continuing Education opportunities are available for free to all CERT members. Our membership plays an important role in our active community!Monthly meetings with speakers/training, support at local events, picnics, and parades! [more]. CERT members are encouraged to be active in their community. We assist with crowd and traffic control, staff cooling rooms, and occasionally get called out to help locate a missing person. We also enjoy fun events while offering preparedness and class information! There are many ways for you to get involved – join us at a special event, help us organize our events and activities, share our information with your social media network.
CERT Training
Our free 24 hour full preparedness training is offered in the spring and fall each year. The course offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.[Sign up here]
- Continued Training
Communications, disaster exercises, traffic control, Stop the Bleed, and many more classes. [Read more here] - Mini Classes
We also offer mini sessions with terrific overviews on Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP), Earthquake Hazard Mitigation and Wildfire Preparedness. Bring your neighbors![Sign up here] - Podcasts and Videos
We encourage you to take any of our free trainings and classes – being prepared will help you and your loved ones stay safe! Curious? Watch this quick video from the Los Angeles Fire Dept. to learn more about the CERT program. You may read this PDF to learn more about The Martinez Area CERT structure.The CERT team is active in education and outreach. Take a look.
Visit us at any of these 2024 community events – we look forward to seeing you!
- Farmer’s Market April thru October on the second Sunday, 9AM-noon, at the plaza
- Healthy Heart Resource Fair February 23
- John Muir Birthday Earth Day Celebration
- Fourth of July Parade in Downtown Martinez .
- National Night Out at the Marina.
- Bocce Fundraiser for Loaves and Fishes.
- MRC/MRC run Martinez Education Foundation
- Home Depot Safety Fair.
- Spooktacular October Downtown Martinez
- We finish the year at the Downtown Martinez Light Parade in December!
We Get Out There!
CERT volunteers help at many community events. Being an active member of the CERT Team provides you with many opportunities to be involved in your community.
2024
MARCH
Doug Pittman Emergency Services Program Manager for the City of Martinez, spoke at our March General Meeting. Doug announced that we will have an emergency evacuation drill Saturday June 22 2024. The goal is to have an exercise and an educational opportunity for businesses and the community. The drill will be held in the morning, last approximately 2 hours, and will involve the NW corner of Martinez, Zone MAR-E001. Planning is underway and CERT will be very active in this drill. Zone MAR-E001 refers to one zone for the City of Martinez created by Genesys Protect.
Supplemental training is not a community activity but it does prepare our CERT volunteers t0 partake of many events. The Martinez Police Department will call out the CERT team whenever traffic assistance is needed. Our Traffic and Crowd Control class is required to volunteer at many events throughout the year. Training is held spring and fall.
FEBRUARY
Happy Year of the Tiger! MPD requested crowd control assistance from CERT at the Martinez Downtown Lunar New Festival. The community enjoyed the festivities, dancing dragons, and fireworks. Martinez City Council and the Fire Department thanked CERT for our help.
CERT volunteers participated in the Heart Healthy Fair at the Senior Center along with CC Protective Services, Contra Costa Senior Legal Services, the CHP and many others. We fielded many questions about CERT, and signed a few people up for Basic Training and summer sessions. Visitors were very interested in storing information on zip drives and preparing Pet Go Bags.
CERT members enjoyed a presentation by Lieutenant Alana Weissman from the Martinez Animal Control. Lieutenant Weissman discussed how to approach dogs and cats in an emergency situation. She also spoke about Pet Go Bags and the importance of creating a disaster plan for your pets. At this link you can download the helpful Three Step Disaster Plan for Pets. Lieutenant Weissman provided. She informed us that the local Animal Control is housing 150 animals in a space for 80. You can help by adopting or fostering an animal. The shelter is at 4800 Imhoff Place, Martinez and the website is https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/853/Contact-Information.
Lieutenant Alana Weissman, Martinez Animal Control
2023
DECEMBER
Martinez loves a parade! CERT members decorated a truck and trailer with festive holiday lights and joined the Light Parade in downtown Martinez. Marching bands, scout troops, antique cars, Mr. and Mrs. Santa and much more. A great time for kids of all ages.
OCTOBER
CERT volunteers hit the streets and participated in the 2023 Downtown Martinez Spooktacular event. What a crowd! We handed out candy, toys, glo sticks, stickers, CWS goodies and information, Junior MPD badges, and signed a few folks up for Spring Training. Volunteering at events like this give us a great opportunity to meet and answer questions from the public as well as increase CERT recognition in our community.
CERT organized the Preparedness Action Day family event at Hidden Valley Park.
Councilman Satinder Malhi dropped by to say hello and practice his fire suppression skills. Watch at this link
CERT members practiced skills at the ICP Exercise and Zone activation.
The goal of this exercise is to provide CERT members the skills needed to set up an Incident Command Post (ICP) during a disaster, report to Zone rally points, radio communications, and use of correct forms.
SEPTEMBER
CERT volunteers participated at the 2023 MRC MEF Fun Run by putting their traffic control skills to use. CERT volunteers were stationed at intersections throughout downtown for the length of the course. Many stations had Alhambra High Schoolers earning community hours.
More than 540 runners and 42 generous sponsors raised $101,000 in the 21st Annual MRC-MEF Run for Education on September 30, 2023. The cool weather was perfect for people to run, walk or stroll through Downtown Martinez in this annual event that benefits the Martinez Education Foundation.
Several multi-talented CERT members contributed their time and money to the Bocce Tournament, benefiting Loaves and Fishes and St. Vincent dePaul. Everyone had a great time and our CERT team was in the playoffs!
AUGUST
CERT participated at the 2023 National Night Out. Over 600 people showed up for a fun filled evening at the Martinez Marina. CERT volunteers were on hand to help with Traffic Control and staff our booth – plus…puppies!
JULY
Huge THANK YOU to the Martinez Police Department, The Martinez Police Officers Association and Kinder’s for the Annual CERT Picnic’s yummy burgers, dogs, chicken, and all the trimmings! The picnic was fun for all and the CERT chefs added to the feast with delightful sides and desserts.
 
CERT volunteers were on hand to escort our small trailer in the 4th of July Downtown Martinez Parade. Volunteers continued to work into the evening, helping the Martinez Police Department with traffic and crowd control at the Martinez Marina as the community enjoyed the fireworks display.
JUNE
Martinez Police Department requested CERT ground support at the 2023 Law Enforcement Torch Run benefitting The Special Olympics. CERT volunteers were on hand at the torch pass off to the Pleasant Hill PD. Good effort for a great cause!
MARCH
Martinez CERT was on hand to assist Lamorinda CERT with Moulage at their Spring Drill. Adding a bit of realism to the “victims” is a tool used to help the responders identify injuries and complete the rescue.
FEBRUARY
CERT leadership presented report to new Martinez Mayor Brianne Zorn and City Council members. We reviewed accomplishments from 2022 and goals for 2023. CERT invited The City to utilize our volunteers to get the word out about Zone Haven and CWS.
FEBRUARY
CERT volunteers participated at the Annual Healthy Heart Resource Fair held at the Martinez Senior Center. We helped attendees sign up for CWS notifications and helped them locate their address on Zone Haven maps. Thumbs up for a “Know Your Zone” outreach!
2022
The 2022 MEF Run raised a record breaking $115,000 for the Martinez Education Fund.
CERT members were on hand to assist the MPD in traffic and crowd control.
Read more in the letter from Ann Notarangelo, Community Relations Manager, Martinez Refining Company here
CERT Volunteers participated at The Home Depot Safety Fair. Volunteers offered preparedness information and safety tips to kids and parents.
In October, CERT participated in the Las Juntas Bike Rodeo. This is a popular bike safety fair sponsored by the Kiwanis. Kids get safety instruction, free helmets and other goodies provided by The Kiwanis, CHP, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.
Janice Witul, CERT member since 2009, spoke at an All Hands meeting about her work with CoCoSAR. CoCoSAR consists of about 200 professionally trained searchers under the direction of Contra Costa County Sheriff Emergency Services Division. CoCoSAR is one of the largest and best-trained teams in the state. They operate 24/7, 365 days a year and get called out on roughly 40 missions a year. Missions include missing persons, evidence and article searches, medical support, and special details.
Brian Lindblom held a Traffic and Crowd Control class. CERT members spend 3 hours in the classroom with lecture, videos and slides and then put those new skills to work outside at dusk. Graduates who complete this instruction can assist CERT in traffic control for many community events.
Martinez CERTÂ volunteered to assist the Moulage Team at Lamorinda’s CERT’s Fall Disaster exercise. This action is a follow-up to this year’s Moulage training. Learning Moulage skills to use at disaster drills enhances the experience for the trainees. Working with ‘victims’ with realistic wounds adds an element of realism that may be helpful to future rescuers. Many of these ‘victims’ were high school students earning some volunteer time – they certainly seemed to enjoy the experience!
CERT members spent a sunny Saturday morning with instruction on Trailer Driving and practiced their new skills with two CERT trailers, a MPD truck and a CERT van. The students had to follow a challenging course laid out in the Marina parking area. Becoming certified will permit these CERT members to drive this equipment to events and during a call-out.
Martinez CERT had a terrific evening at the 2022 Martinez Light Parade. Before the parade we provided some assistance with traffic control and then we walked the parade route with our festive trailers. We handed out whistles, candy canes and training brochures to a very happy holiday crowd.
On the Second Sunday of each month, April thru November, CERT volunteers get the word out at the Martinez Farmer’s Market.
Our friends from Lamorinda CERT, Virginia Merrifield and Julie Sparks, spoke to our membership about the importance of Public Information Officer (PIO) training.
Ann Wrixson, Executive Director of CASA, spoke to our membership about advocating for kids in foster care so they do not languish in inappropriate placement. CASA also works diligently in community education.
After a COVID hiatus, CERT members got together for our annual picnic sponsored by our very own Martinez Police Department who generously provided the Hot Dogs and Hamburgers. CERT chefs rounded out the menu with salads and desserts.
CERT presents a plaque to the local IBEW Union Hall as a expression of our gratitude for the years of support the IBEW has given to Martinez CERT.
CERT members helped the Alameda Fire Department and Oakland Airport First Responders practice their emergency skills at the Oakland Airport Disaster Exercise.
Julie Sparks from Lamorinda CERT taught our members the art of Moulage. Bullet holes, burns and gashes. We can use these new skills at our Disaster Drills to enhance the emergency experience!
The Future: It’s Up To Us.
If we want to survive the next fire, earthquake, or flood, we’ll need to take steps to minimize the harm that these natural disasters will cause. Training will help.
Join us? To get on the list for Free Basic Training, send an email to [email protected] or use this contact form.