Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies (CORE) Program

Logo for Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies

Communities of Oakland Respond to Emergencies (CORE) is a program started by the City of Oakland to help make sure that we, as a community, are resilient. The goal of the program is to help all community members know how to prepare for and respond to a disaster.

Many longtime Oakland residents may be familiar with the CORE I, II, III, and IV courses as part of the CORE program educational series. Since the inception of the program, we have successfully taught countless Oakland community members important skills and knowledge to help them be ready for disaster. 

Updating our Program

Several years ago, the Oakland Fire Department Emergency Management Services Division made a major overhaul of the program to bring in new, up-to-date material that better aligns with national standards. As part of the refresh of the program, CORE I, II, III, and IV were transformed into our Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP) Course and the Nationally aligned Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. 

Individuals who complete CERT training are eligible to be sworn in as Disaster Service Worker - Volunteers. We want to invite everyone interested in a more resilient Oakland to take our FREE trainings and to learn more about our CORE, and Ready, Oakland programs. 

If you are a graduate of the old CORE classes, we invite you to come join us for the new PEP and CERT training! You will find that there is new knowledge to be gained and great opportunities to refresh skills you may have learned a decade or more ago. 

FAQ

I completed the CORE training classes in the past. Is my certification still valid?

  • No. The emergency response and preparedness skills you learned via the old CORE program are perishable. This means that unless you practice on a regular basis, there is a high probability that you may be a bit rusty in your technique.
  • Additionally, following the update to the training program, there are new or changed procedures that you need to know. The CORE and CERT curriculum is similar, but not the same. We encourage everyone to take the CERT class to refresh old skills and also to learn the new additions to the program.

I completed CERT elsewhere and I moved to Oakland, how can I join a team?

  • Welcome to Oakland! We are excited to have you join our CERT team. Please email us at CORE@OaklandCA.gov with a brief message that you would like to join the Oakland CERT program and we can assist you further. Please attach a copy of your completion certificate. 
  • If you completed the online CERT class through CalOES or the University of Utah but have not yet completed the hands-on skills portion, please also email us to schedule your hands-on training. 

I want to host a class for my group, how do I do that?

  • We are always looking for hosts to partner with. Please visit our Personal Emergency Preparedness page to see hosting guidelines. 
  • CERT classes are more complex to host off site due to the large space and equipment requirements. 
  • Please note that we do not offer closed-session classes. This means that all classes must be open to the general public. 

Do you offer your classes in any language other than English?

  • The CORE program is dedicated to upholding the City of Oakland's commitment on equity. Our Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP) course is available in multiple languages.
  • Please provide advanced notice if you would like to request interpretation and translated materials at one of our PEP sessions. A minimum of 2 weeks is recommended for Chinese, Spanish, and ASL, and 3 weeks for other languages as it takes time for us to find and book an interpreter. 
  • The CERT program materials are nationally standardized and we are limited in what we are allowed to do with it. If you are interested in a CERT presentation in a language other than English, please email us.
  • For more information on Oakland's Language Access Plan & Policy or to file a complaint, please contact Language Access Services.
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