Central County Fire Department opened registration Wednesday, Aug. 5, for its free Fall 2026 CERT Basic Training, a hands-on course that teaches residents how to respond after a major earthquake or other disaster.

Seats are limited and available first-come, first-served. The department announced on X that residents should register as soon as possible before the class fills. Sign-ups are available at ccfd.org/CERT.

The training begins in late September and is open to adults in Burlingame, Hillsborough and Millbrae with no prior experience required.

What the course covers

The CERT curriculum includes disaster preparedness, fire safety, utility shutoffs, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology and terrorism awareness, and emergency communications. The course wraps up with a Skills Development and Application day that includes a disaster exercise and graduation ceremony.

Past sessions have run Tuesday and Thursday evenings over roughly four weeks, with a final all-day Saturday skills session at Fire Station 37, 511 Magnolia Ave. in Millbrae. Exact dates and locations for the Fall 2026 session have not been published; residents can check ccfd.org/CERT for the full schedule as it becomes available.

Separate from teen program

The Fall 2026 training is a separate program from the Teen CERT Boot Camp that filled all spots in July and from the county school staff safety trainings that began July 30.

Central County Fire, led by Fire Chief David Pucci, also offers an annual Mandarin Chinese CERT course described as the only one of its kind in Northern California.

Residents with questions can email [email protected].