Asheville Fire Department launches CERT program to train residents for disasters

After Hurricane Helene left parts of Asheville isolated by blocked roads, power outages and disrupted communications, the Asheville Fire Department is trying to build a neighborhood backup system for the next emergency.

The city launched its Community Emergency Response Team program on April 16, 2026, in partnership with FEMA. Officials say the goal is straightforward: train residents so they can help stabilize a scene, support neighbors and buy time when professional responders are stretched thin or cannot reach a hard-hit area quickly.

The program is open to Asheville community members age 18 and older, and no prior experience is required. Applicants must complete basic training, pass a background check and follow Asheville Fire activation and safety protocols. The course uses online self-paced modules followed by a one-day hands-on session, a format the department says is meant to turn interest into practical skill.

Training will cover disaster preparedness, fire safety, light search and rescue in non-structural collapse situations, basic disaster medical operations, triage and treatment area setup, team organization and accountability, and personal and family emergency planning. The city also plans quarterly skills refreshers and specialty workshops on flood and storm response support, shelter operations and mass care, damage assessment, communications and volunteer coordination, and community event support and education.

That local focus matters in Asheville, where flooding, severe weather, wildfire and landslides can cut off streets in a matter of hours. CERT volunteers may be asked to help with non-emergency incident support, public education outreach, non-technical missing person search support, logistics and resource support for partner agencies, and other neighborhood-level resilience work before fire, rescue or EMS crews can get there.

The need for that kind of backup was underscored by Helene. Buncombe County said in its final community briefing on Sept. 3, 2025, that the storm killed 43 people in the county and damaged thousands of homes and businesses. A year of recovery work followed across housing, debris removal, infrastructure and water-system repairs, a reminder that the first hours of a disaster are often followed by months of cleanup.

Ready NC says CERT programs were created to help communities take care of themselves when first responders are overwhelmed or delayed by communication or transportation problems. FEMA says CERT volunteers have also been used for smoke alarm distribution, evacuations, traffic control, special-event staffing, drills and vaccine clinics.

For Asheville, the program is now a bet on trained neighbors, not just the fire truck at the curb, and on a citywide response network that can hold together when the mountains make outside help slow to arrive.