NERT
Neighborhood Emergency Response Team

The Loma Prieta earthquake and aftermath of October 17, 1989 demonstrated the importance of civilian volunteers during a disaster.  In a large scale disaster, the use of volunteers may be even more widespread and more necessary.   With this in mind, the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) has undertaken a program of civilian emergency response training.  The intention of this training is to give volunteers a higher level of basic skills in fire fighting, search and rescue, disaster medicine and preparedness.

This training will be utilized in three specific ways.  Neighborhood Emergency Response team members will be: 

1) Better prepared in self sufficiency following a disaster

2) Able to provide emergency assistance to their family, immediate neighbors and co-workers

3)  Able to work as a team in their neighborhood in the event of a major disaster.  The Fire Department’s goal is to provide this training to the civilian population as identified and coordinated by neighborhood, work place, church or other groupings.