Continue building your emergency preparedness knowledge through free online courses, workshops, and other learning opportunities. While CERT Basic Training provides the foundation, these additional resources can help you expand your understanding of emergency management  and community resilience.

FEMA Independent Study (IS) Courses

The FEMA Independent Study (IS) Program offers free, self-paced online courses covering topics such as the Incident Command System (ICS), the National Incident Management System (NIMS), and emergency management principles. These nationally recognized courses provide valuable background on how emergency incidents are managed and how CERT fits into the broader emergency response system.

Recommended courses include:

• IS-100.C: Introduction to the Incident Command System
• IS-200.C: Basic Incident Command System for Initial Response
• IS-700.B: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System

How to Complete a FEMA IS Course:

Detailed step-by-step instructions are available in the FEMA Independent Study Course Guide linked below. The guide walks you through how to:

1. Obtain a FEMA Student Identification (SID) number (if needed).
2. Access the course materials.
3. Complete the online training modules.
4. Take and pass the final exam.
5. Download your Certificate of Completion.
6. Email your certificate to Kaz Chiao at kchiao@ccfd.org so your CCFD CERT training record can be updated.

FEMA Independent Study Course Guide - CERT.pdf