Washoe County

The Washoe County Region Sheriff’s Office is the supporting agency and sponsor of the local Citizen Corps Program. The goal of the Citizen Corps Program is to enhance and improve the Citizen’s Corps LogoWashoe County Sheriff’s Office emergency response and preparedness efforts by developing a pool of trained volunteers. Our volunteers support community safety, disaster preparedness, and emergency response efforts of first responders and, as a group, they are a force multiplier supporting the Sheriff’s Office.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), represents the largest and most broadly-trained of the volunteer CCP groups. CERT helps prepare people to respond to emergencies in their communities. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community.

To learn how you can better prepare for emergencies, visit http://ready.gov and the national CERT page (http://fema.gov/cert), and enroll in local CERT training (Get Trained!). If you are interested in volunteering, please print, fill out, and send the application, and consider joining one of our teams.


Visit our Photo Gallery to see some of the ways CCP volunteers assist our community.

For more information, contact:

Michael Perry
Citizen Corps Program Manager
mperry@washoecounty.us
775-325-6928

About Us

The Citizen Corps Program (CCP) was developed following the events of September 11, 2001. It was determined that the best way to assure the survivability of a community was to train its citizens to prepare for and respond to disasters. Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) had been responding to disasters in California and Florida for several years prior to the initiation of CCP, and that program became an obvious vehicle to train volunteers. CERT is the largest program of volunteers in the CCP, but the CCP also supports communities with other volunteer groups. In Washoe County, CCP supports CERT, the Rail Auxiliary Team (Rat Pack) and the Citizen’s Homeland Security Council (CHSC).


Citizen’s Homeland Security Council (CHSC), developed after 9/11, is intended to give local citizens a basic education about terrorism, what it looks like, what we have here in Nevada, what to report, etc. The more that we educate and involve our community about terrorism, both domestic and foreign, the better prepared we will be. CHSC volunteers are trained to recognize the components of what would be considered a terrorist threat, as well as what to do should an attack occur.

The Rail Auxiliary Team (RAT Pack) is a joint effort between the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office and the local railroad. It was created to provide a trained force familiar with rail operations and to act as additional eyes and ears along the rail lines within Washoe County. In providing additional observers along these lines, they are able to report suspicious activity such as trespassers, graffiti or objects on or around the rails as well as reporting any hazards that might interfere with safe railway operations.

If you are interested in CHSC or Rat Pack teams, attend a meeting and learn more (meeting info).

Citizen Corps Program Teams

Team Meeting Summary
CERT Logo
— Incline Village —
We meet at 6:30 PM, on the second Tuesday of each month, in the Old Incline Fire Station’s classroom, at the intersection of Tanager Street & Oriole Way, in Incline Village.
Our training concentrates on activities that help us assist first responders (fire department and law enforcement) in the event of major incidents. We also spend many hours/days assisting various community activities around Incline Village, especially during the summer months. For more information, contact Dell Rowley.
— Mavericks —
Mavericks is a team like no other.
We’re trained to administer CPR and First Aid to everyone, even our brother
We’re a rough and rowdy band of buccaneers.
Our family, friends and community are so very dear.
We train hard, we play hard, but most of all
We are always ready to answer the call.
Our personal protective equipment is always packed tight
Because disaster can strike day or night.
When public safety is at risk
You can count on the Mavericks.
So come on down and get your hands dirty.
We meet in the evening every third Thursday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30.
Washoe County is our backyard!
Our home is the Regional Public Safety Training Center, 5190 Spectrum Boulevard
— Glenda Dudley
— Red Rock —
Nested in Washoe County’s North Valleys are the Red Rock Rattlers. Aligned with the Red Rock Volunteer Fire Department, the Rattlers focus primarily on local events. Organized in 2011, the team continues to grow steadily, including members with diverse interests, backgrounds, and careers. Bolstered with formal FEMA training and planned and situational event activities, the Rattlers are a critical support link for professional responders.
Monthly meetings are generally on the second Monday, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM, at the RRVFD station, 16180 N. Red Rock Road, (our primary Incident Command Center). But we also try to schedule some special training events on Saturdays, so be sure to check with one of the team leads before you head out to our monthly meetings. Interested residents are welcome to share Rattler cordiality, camaraderie, discussions, and training. Bring your questions, fresh perspectives, feedback, and sweet tooth, as snacks are usually included.
Below are the planned training topics for the Red Rock CERT Team, subject to change. Occasionally, the meeting dates are shifted to Saturday. Please contact the Red Rock Training Coordinator (Sandy McGill, mcgills@arcadiaranch.com) before attending, in case the topic or date has changed.

— South Washoe —

Second Tuesdays
6:00 — 8:00 PM

South Valleys Library

Photos—Cribbing Training

— Sparks —
Sparks Team icon Dummm, Da Dum Dum (Think Dragnet)
This is the city, Sparks, Nevada.
Lots of people live here, good people with good attitudes. They go to work. They go to school. They go to the store. They are young, old, or in between. When trouble comes, they help their neighbors.
Where did they learn to do that?
Well, from their moms, of course, and at the CERT Academy and the Sparks CERT team meetings and drills. So, if you have a free hour every couple of months or have free time every day, you can be part of a team that is learning to help, have fun, and contribute to our community. If you like knowing what to do with that fire extinguisher, your first aid kit, how to direct traffic, what to do in an earthquake or flood, and how to be prepared for what may come, we would like to meet you. We meet at Scheels at Legends (how cool is that?), second floor training room (behind firearms), on the second Wednesday of every month at 6 p.m.
— Fritz Mumm
— UNR —
Meets 2nd and 3rd Thursdays of the Month, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, UNR Police Station – Fitzgerald Students Services Building on Campus (UNR CERT web site)

CHSC Logo Citizens Homeland Security Council (brochure) — Meets on the 3rd Tuesday of the Month,
7:00 PM — 9:00 PM, Regional Public Safety Training Center, 5190 Spectrum Blvd.
Rat Pack Logo Rail Auxiliary Team – RAT Pack – Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the Month 7:00 – 8:00 PM,
Regional Public Safety Training Center, 5190 Spectrum Blvd.

HomeAbout UsTeamsPhoto GalleryGet Trained!Team ToolsCalendar

Get Trained at the CERT Academy (FREE!)

Academy testReno CERT training is held quarterly. It is recommended, but not required, that interested participants take the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) online “IS 317” course for basic CERT training, which provides an excellent background for the hands-on training provided at the CERT Academy.

You may also preview or download a copy of the CERT Academy Participants Manual. The manual will be provided to you, free, when you take the CERT Academy.

CERT Academy training includes disaster preparedness, fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations and light search and rescue. The Syllabus contains the complete class schedule. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old, or accompanied by a parent or guardian, to attend CERT training, and must be 18 years old to volunteer.

CERT academies are held from 6:00 PM — 9:00 PM on Thursday and Friday, and 9:00 AM — 4:00 PM on Saturday, on two consecutive weeks:
2019 Schedule
January 17, 18, 19 and 24, 25, 26
April 11, 12, 13 and 18, 19, 20
July 18, 19, 20 and 25, 26, 27
October 10, 11, 12 and 17, 18, 19

If you are interested in CERT training, fill out this training application. Send it to Michael Perry, Citizen Corps Program Manager at mperry@washoecounty.us or mail it to:

Washoe County Sheriff’s Office
Citizen Corps Program
911 Parr Blvd
Reno, NV 89512
CERT training is conducted at the Regional Public Safety Training Center, 5190 Spectrum Blvd, Reno (map). A short distance north of I-80 on 395, take the Parr / Dandini exit and turn east. You will immediately encounter a round-a-bout through which you make a left turn onto Spectrum. Drive past the SPCA to the end of the road. The building in front of you as you approach is the training center. Parking is on the right.

CERT Team Tools

Chain of Command

Monthly Time Card Form (PDF)
Monthly Time Card Form (Excel)

ICS Forms
CERT or CHSC volunteers who have cleared WCSO background checks,
have joined a CCP volunteer team, and have been issued a WCSO photo ID,
are eligible to acquire approved CERT and/or CHSC uniform apparel.
Refer to the uniform order list (link). Have your photo ID with you when you order at Millers.

The Broken Wing Exercise is a disaster drill that’s only held one every three years, and everything went off really well. After being sufficiently bloodied up then placed in a field with strewn luggage, “dead” mannequin body parts, confused and yelling volunteers, and various injured all over the place, it was quite the site for the first responders to arrive on the scene. If you’d like to review the official Broken Wing After Action report, it’s available here.

Washoe County Citizen Corps volunteers can check here for the latest schedule of events and training opportunities for the different groups, and view the latest pictures of recent events and activities.

If you have questions give us a call. Much of our training is on evenings and weekends although we do sometimes have classes during the work week if specifically requested by a group or agency. We can also come to your business or organization with training if coming to us isn’t a workable option.

The goal of citizen corps is to engage every individual in making our community safer and stronger through education, training and volunteer participation. In a disaster there is a job for everyone and if you want to help there is a place for you. We can help you learn more.

Need more information? Interested in volunteering? Please contact us.

Lynda Sienko, Program Coordinator 775-325-6927
Lsienko@washoecounty.us

Kaydie Paschall, Program Consultant 775-325-6928
Kpaschall@washoecounty.us

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program helps train people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community.

The CERT course is taught in the community by a trained team of first responders who have completed a CERT Train-the-Trainer course conducted by their state training office for emergency management, or FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI), located in Emmitsburg, Maryland. CERT training includes disaster preparedness, disaster fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, and light search and rescue operations.

Over the next two years, the CERT program aims to double the number of participants, with over 400,000 individuals completing the 20 plus hours of training. Train-the-Trainer sessions will be held in all 56 states and territorie

Dedicated CHSC volunteers work together in training, information sharing and active participation to help prepare and assist neighborhoods, businesses, agencies and organizations for appropriate response in the event of terrorist acts and/or natural or man made disasters.

INFORMED PARTICIPANTS IN HOMELAND SECURITY
The primary goal of this program is to provide trained and informed volunteers who will act as eyes and ears throughout the community and communicate directly to local law enforcement agencies when they observe dangerous or suspicious activities.

In addition, these volunteers are available to assist in educating the community, implementing drills, training exercises and evaluations, and providing volunteer fie

S.M.A.R.T. was organized in 1994 to assist the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office by providing volunteers that are available to mobilize on short notice to support the Sheriff’s Office operations, as well as to provide community service functions. Our program is open to residents of Washoe County who have completed the Truckee Meadows Citizen’s Police Academy or are members of partnering organizations and have completed an orientation course. Eligible applicants become members upon a successful background check and payment of yearly dues.

Meetings are on the second Thursday of each month at 911 Parr Blvd (the Sheriff’s Office) on the 2nd floor in the Nevada Room from 1800hrs to 200