NERT Graduate Resources

You Graduated, What's Next...?

Congratulations! You are an Emergency Response Team member. 

What can you do?

After graduation you should become familiar with the various NERT volunteer roles and their specialized training requirements. Click here for the Complete NERT Volunteer Positions Guide. More information about specific roles can be found in the links listed below:

Volunteer Roles (Non-Emergency):

Volunteer Roles (Emergency)

Medical Reserve Corps

NERT Certification & ID

  • NERT certification is good for two years from the date of your training.
  • You can renew your NERT training/ID at any NERT training location.
  • Attend the 5th session (covering NERT response) and the 6th and final hands on session that includes a review of the take home exam.
  • If your certification has expired, there is a grace period of up to 3 months to allow you time to recertify with just the 5th and 6th sessions. After this time you must take the full course to recertify once your training has expired.
  • Click here to view the course curriculum and find the class you need

NERT Graduate Training

See Calendar for dates and times

NERT Training Day

Every 3rd Saturday: NERT training day takes place on the third Saturday of every month.

For April and October, a Citywide Drill is held. For the remaining 10 months, 2-3 different topics* are offered to advance your training or to review and improve on basic NERT skills.

See the April 2022 City Wide Drill Survey Results here. 

Topics

  • Disaster Psychological First Aid for NERT and Medical Reserve Corps Responders
  • Drinking Water after Disaster with the SF Public Utilities Commission

Complete the following courses to be recognized as an official volunteer on the NERT Communications Team. Equivalent credit for certain courses may be awarded on a case by case basis.

NERT Communications Team (NCT)


Communications are a vital role of the NERT teams. They often involve Amateur (Ham) radio but successful communication is so much more. The formal NERT Communication Team (NCT) training will include all of the courses below (NCT 101-601): 

  • NCT Introduction, 101/201: Introductory class designed for both newly licensed operators and those planning to get licensed to learn the rules of HAM communication, equipment options, and an overview of emergency messaging at this one day training. No HAM license required. All NERT Grads Welcome! Any HAM operators wanting disaster communication instruction are welcome after lunch.
  •  NCT Communicating, 301: Practice sending and receiving radio messages. Improve your communications and messaging skills. A valuable skill for NERTs.
    Prerequisites: NCT 101-303. Ham license required. 
  • NCT NET Control for NERT Staging, 401: Learn Net Control procedures and avoid "cross-talk" in a Staging Area. A HAM Operator, acting as Net Control, regulates the flow of radio traffic coming from multiple NERT Field Teams into a Staging Area. This is a skill that must be learned and practiced. Join us for this new addition to the NERT Communications training. HAM License required.
  • NCT Social Media: You will need a registered Twitter name prior to attending and you will need to bring your own device. Pre-requisite: NCT 201
  • Damage assessment and Emergency Message writing: Learn how to write a short, effective emergency message using scene size-up. A valuable skill for every NERT. Emergency messages include five key elements: Identify, Location, Condition, Action, and Needs—become familiar with I.L.C.A.N. Class open to all NERT Grads!

Please see the following documents for more information about NCT Processes:

NERT Drills

  • Citywide Drills
  • Citywide Drill - Spring
  • Neighborhood Drills - Fall
  • Firefighter Support drills (space limited)
  • Participation with program coordinators approval. This training requires good physical condition and strength.
  • Ham Communications/Staging Drill-Dress appropriately in your NERT response gear, safety shoes and plan for the weather.

Partner Training for NERT Graduates

HAM Radio Operator Licensing Classes:

C.P.R. Classes: