Members complete Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to prepare for NLSC assignments

In January 2015, National Language Service Corps (NLSC) Members in three of its four Regional Chapters chose to participate in a nationwide emergency preparedness initiative known as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). 


The CERT training educates communities about disaster preparedness and emergency responses for hazards that may impact their area. Over the course of several days, NLSC Members took advantage of this 24-hour course to maximize their potential to serve their language communities and build their emergency response skills.

Members in the NLSC Los Angeles, CA and Washington, D.C. Regional Chapters were the first to participate and take advantage of the CERT training offered at local firehouses in Long Beach, CA and Fairfax, VA, respectively. In the Washington, D.C. Regional Chapter, over 80 NLSC Members signed up for the accelerated CERT training course within a few days, quickly surpassing the number of available spots in the course and prompting discussions of liaising with other local CERT programs.

Jake Heflin, CERT Program Manager of the Long Beach Fire Department, raved about the opportunity for NLSC Members to impact their language communities stating, “we can utilize the services provided by the NLSC to increase our outreach within the non-English speaking community within the City of Long Beach.  And really, that’s what it’s about.  It’s about embracing the whole community.”

In March, 22 NLSC Members graduated from the CERT training courses in the Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, C.A. areas. NLSC Member languages included Vietnamese, Arabic, Farsi, Dari, Indonesian, Wolof, French, Nepalese, Hindi, Spanish, Thai, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, and Russian.