By Stephanie Moffett, Region VI, External Affairs

Teenagers from the Otoe-Missouria Tribe and the Northern Arapaho Tribe attend a first-of-its-kind Community Emergency Response Team course held in Red Rock, Okla. This is the first Tribal Teen CERT course in the state.

Teenagers from the Otoe-Missouria Tribe Red Rock, Okla., and the Northern Arapaho Tribe participate in the first Tribal Teen Community Emergency Response Team course in the state. Photo by Shari Brand/FEMA)

Brenda Gormley, Denton County, Texas, CERT coordinator and Master CERT Instructor, taught the course on Tribal grounds. Thirteen students ages 13 to 18 participated in the two-day course learning about topics such as search and rescue techniques, first aid, fire extinguisher training and gas shut-off training.

Shari Brand, Region VI Community Preparedness officer, attended the course as well.

"Besides training Tribal youth in important preparedness skills, this training event reflected cross-jurisdictional coordination and "Whole Community" collaboration," said Brand. "We look forward to the next Tribal Teen CERT course in Oklahoma!"

CERT is part of FEMA's Citizen Corps program. Citizen Corps was created in the aftermath of September 11, as a way to harness the volunteer spirit Americans exhibited in the days following the terrorist attacks.

CERT specifically educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact where they live and work; participants learn basic disaster skills such as fire safety, team organization and disaster medical operations.