CERT Basic Training Course

Naperville CERT Basic Training Class is presented by State of Illinois certified trainers or appropriate qualified First Responders. The class is a 20-hour course meeting usually over a five-week period. Classes meet (6:45-9:45pm) on consecutive Wednesday for approximately 3 hours. Saturday of the final week, a class and a field exercise are held for approximately 7 hours (8am-3pm).     

The course and all materials are free to people who live, work or attend school in Naperville. Eligible participants must be 18 years of age or older and submit a Registration and a Hold Harmless form (See below).   

Course includes the following:   

  • DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: Addressing hazards likely to affect our area and actions that participants and their families can take before, during, and after a disaster to keep themselves safe.
  • DISASTER FIRE SUPPRESSION: Covers hazardous materials, fire hazards, fire suppression strategies, fire extinguishers, sizing up the situation, controlling utilities, and extinguishing small fires.    
  • DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS PART I:  Practice diagnosing and treating airway obstruction, bleeding, and shock: learn simple triage and rapid treatment techniques to save life.    
  • DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS, PART II:  Evaluate patients, perform head to toe assessment, establish medical treatment areas, perform basic first aid, establish public sanitation practices.    
  • LIGHT SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS:  learn search planning,search techniques, rescue techniques, and rescuer safety.    
  • DISASTER PSYCHOLOGY:  Disaster trauma, Working with survivor’s trauma, team well-being.
  • TERRORISM: Definition, targets, weapons, CBRNE indicators, CERT principals regarding suspect terrorist incidents.
  • COURSE REVIEW AND DISASTER SIMULATION: Final exam and review of answers. Field exercise of a disaster simulation.       

All students completing the entire course will receive a Certificate of Completion and be eligible to apply for membership in the Naperville CERT Organization.

All participants shall receive a starter CERT backpack including a hard hat, goggles, safety vest and work gloves.


Participants must be 18 years of age and must either live or be employed in the City of Naperville.


To Sign up for Class please download, fill out and mail these forms:

CERT Registration Form (Online Application)

Hold Harmless Request (PDF)


Mail to:


CERT/Class Registration
Fire Administration Building
1380 Aurora Ave
Naperville, IL 60540

For more information, please contact Info@NaperCERT.org

Students accepted first-come, first accepted. 

(SEE SCHEDULE).