The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT-SA) is a non-profit organisation rooted in the community of Centurion and the Vaal, dedicated to helping others. Our mission is to offer crucial emergency services, including Emergency Medical Assistance, Firefighting, and Rescue operations. We work alongside existing emergency services to enhance their efforts.
Our commitment is to provide these services free of charge. We firmly believe that everyone deserves help in emergencies, regardless of their financial situation, background, or any other personal characteristic. We extend our assistance without discrimination, ensuring that every person and living being in need can count on us for support during critical times.
Our medical response vehicles are fully equipped to handle various medical emergencies, providing essential care and stabilisation to patients while waiting for an ambulance to arrive at the scene. CERT-SA collaborates with trusted ambulance service providers to ensure a seamless and efficient emergency response.
CERT-SA’s special operational support division offers general support services during emergency operations. This unit provides ground support to CERT-SA’s other operational divisions and other public and private emergency services agencies, i.e. SAPS, Fire Departments, Security Companies, Community Policing Forums, etc.
CERT-SA’s community safety personnel are skilled Firefighters and Rescuers who provide support services that complement the capabilities of existing emergency services departments in that they act as a force multiplier during emergency operations. The community safety team is equipped to handle these critical situations effectively.
Our animal rescue division is committed to delivering emergency medical and rescue services to animals facing critical situations. This specialised division focuses on providing timely assistance and medical care to animals in distress, ensuring their well-being and safety during emergencies.
Our trauma support division has dedicated chaplains and trained trauma cousellors who are available to assist members of the community, including emergency services personnel, who have experienced trauma, directly or indirectly, and require counselling and emotional support in challenging times.
CERT-SA provides accredited training courses encompassing First Aid, CPR, and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) training. Additionally, CERT-SA hosts various educational workshops designed to educate and train community members in essential emergency response skills, i.e., Scene Safety training, Basic Firefighting training, Safe Emergency Operation of a Chainsaw and Cutoff Saw Training, etc.