About this effort
Who organized this, why, and what it has to do with your neighborhood.
Your Zone Captain
I'm a Long Beach resident who originally completed my CERT training through the Concord, CA Fire Department. CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team — it's a free, 20-hour program developed by FEMA that teaches first aid, light search and rescue, fire suppression basics, and how to organize a neighborhood after a disaster. The most important variable in a neighborhood's survival after a major disaster isn't equipment or supplies. It's whether neighbors know each other, many residents are CERT trained, and central medical triage is in place.
Why this neighborhood
Long Beach sits on top of the Newport-Inglewood fault. The 1994 Northridge earthquake — a 6.7 — caused 57 deaths and $20 billion in damage from 20 miles away. A direct hit on the Newport-Inglewood fault would be worse. We also live in a region where wildfire smoke, power outages, and extreme heat events are becoming more frequent. None of this is meant to alarm you. It's meant to make the case that a little preparation — and knowing your neighbors — is worth two hours of your time.
What CERT is and isn't
Hybrid, On-Line CERT training is available for free. https://youtu.be/p_qgofopN2s?si=f_9dy8-rxkvkpyXs (What is CERT) CERT topics: Fire Safety Light Search & Rescue Team Organization Disaster Medical Operations (Triage) Click the link below to select a language (English, Spanish, Mandarin) register for the couse, then complete the On-Line modules as your schedule permits. https://medicine.utah.edu/occupational-environmental-health/research/outreach/cert Naturally, the sooner you complete the course, the better prepared you will be. Each time we have 20 residents ready to "graduate" CERT, LBFD will schedule a final "hands-on" session for the entire group in-person at the Fire Training Center. Your zone captains have all completed this training — but this website and our neighborhood meetings are not an official LBFD or city program. We're an independent, neighbor-organized volunteer effort that relies on CERT training principles. The distinction matters: we don't represent the city, we don't share information with any agency, and we're not a government program. We're just neighbors who took the training and are putting it to use.
Learn about CERT training at LBFDWhat we believe
Everyone belongs
This effort is for everyone who lives in this neighborhood. We don't ask about immigration status, citizenship, or documentation — not here, not at meetings, not ever. Full stop.
No pressure, no dues
Signing up means you'll hear about meetings. Come when you can. There's no membership fee, and no obligation beyond being a good neighbor.
Neighbor-organized, not government-run
We're independent. Your information stays with your Zone Captain.
Ready to join?
It takes two minutes. No commitment required.