Emergency response training builds Victoria volunteer base

Published 6:15 am Friday, July 25, 2025

By Michael Milliorn

Ralph Montes, Victoria County public health emergency preparedness coordinator. (Madison O’Hara/Victoria Advocate)

The Victoria Office of Emergency Management (VOEM) has opened registration for its upcoming G-317 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Basic Training course. The course is designed to give community volunteers necessary and applicable training to support local emergency preparedness and response efforts.

The nationally recognized course is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Administration and United States Department of Homeland Security. The VOEM is a sponsoring organization for the course and will provide the in-person training at their office, located at 205 N. Bridge St., B-101.

The training course covers a variety of topics including disaster preparedness, CERT organization, components of light search and rescue, fire suppression, utility control and disaster first aid. Participants will learn to put out small fires, turn off utility meters, basic first aid with “stop the bleed” components and hands only CPR.

The CERT training course will cover disaster psychology. Participants will learn about the various mental stressors that can occur during a disaster. At the end of the course, participants will take a written exam and engage in a simulation exercise.

“If participants decide they want to join our volunteer team, the training puts them in that realm,” Ralph Montes, Victoria County public health emergency preparedness coordinator, said. “If we need their volunteerism for any type of deployment, whatever is called for, they’re already trained to do it.”

The support from community members who participate in the CERT training helps to reduce the duties of first responders in emergency situations, Montes said. Participants are utilized for community events as well including the Mid-Coast Hurricane and Disaster Conference and administrative duties during a disaster.

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    • “Participants come from a wide range of backgrounds,” Montes said. “We have people who are housewives, retired nurses and plant workers. There are people who want to give back to the community, and they want to do it in a unique way.”

    Completing the CERT basic training course opens the door to additional training through other community partners for participants. The certification is held on the Texas Department of Emergency Management Training website, allowing participants to maintain their training wherever they are.

    The training program is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 25 through Monday, Oct. 27. Training on Saturday and Sunday will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Training on Monday will be from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

    Citizens interested in the training can register on the TDEM training website. A FEMA Student Identification (SID) number is required prior to registration.

    Michael Milliorn is a news reporter for the Victoria Advocate. He can be reached at michael.milliorn@vicad.com.

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