Free Fall CERT Classes Offer Williamsburg Settlement Residents Hands-On Emergency Preparedness Training
Emergencies rarely arrive at a convenient time. A severe storm can knock out power, rising water can make roads impassable and professional responders may be stretched across a large area when neighbors need help most.
This fall, Harris County Emergency Services District No. 48 is giving Williamsburg Settlement residents an opportunity to become better prepared for those moments through its free Community Emergency Response Team training program.
The nine-week Fall CERT course begins Monday, September 28, 2026, and continues each Monday evening through November 23. Classes will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Harris County ESD No. 48 Administration Building, located at 21201 Morton Road in Katy.
There is no cost to attend, and participants will receive a training manual and starter backpack.
Practical Skills for Real Emergencies
Community Emergency Response Team training is designed for everyday residents—not only people with medical, firefighting or emergency management experience.
The program teaches volunteers how to prepare for hazards that could affect their own neighborhoods and how to provide safe, immediate assistance when professional emergency services are delayed or handling higher-priority calls.
FEMA describes CERT as a nationwide approach to training volunteers in basic disaster response skills, including fire safety, light search and rescue, disaster medical operations and team organization. Those trained volunteers can support their communities while allowing professional responders to concentrate on more complex emergencies.
For families across Williamsburg Settlement, Katy and western Harris County, that preparation can be useful during hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, extended power outages, fires and other emergencies. The lessons can also help participants make more informed decisions at home, at work and while assisting neighbors.
What Participants Will Learn
Each week of the Harris County ESD 48 CERT class will focus on a different part of emergency preparedness and response.
The course schedule includes:
Week 1: Disaster Preparedness
Participants will learn how to recognize local hazards, prepare their households and understand the role trained volunteers may play during a disaster.
Week 2: Fire Safety
The class will cover fire hazards, personal safety and the basic principles behind controlling small fires.
Week 3: Hands-On Fire Suppression
Participants will put fire safety lessons into practice through supervised exercises.
Week 4: Medical Operations and Triage
The course will introduce methods for quickly assessing injured people, prioritizing care and organizing treatment during an emergency involving multiple victims.
Week 5: Medical Care and Stop the Bleed
Participants will learn practical techniques for responding to severe bleeding and other potentially life-threatening medical situations.
Week 6: Light Search and Rescue and Cribbing
The class will address safe search techniques, victim removal and cribbing methods used to stabilize or lift heavy objects.
Week 7: Team Organization and Disaster Psychology
Participants will learn how CERT volunteers organize during emergencies and how disasters can affect survivors, rescuers and families emotionally.
Week 8: Terrorism Awareness and Course Review
The session will cover awareness, safety considerations and a review of the skills taught throughout the program.
Week 9: Final Drill
The course will conclude with a simulated disaster exercise that allows participants to apply what they have learned in a realistic, team-based setting.
Building a More Prepared Katy Community
Harris County ESD 48 provides fire, emergency medical and rescue services in western Harris County between West Houston and Katy. Its CERT program extends that public safety mission by helping residents become more capable of protecting themselves and responsibly assisting others.
The program does not turn participants into professional first responders. Instead, it gives them a framework for recognizing hazards, protecting their own safety and doing the most good without creating additional risks.
Harris County Citizen Corps describes CERT as a partnership between emergency response agencies and the people they serve, centered on readiness, neighbors helping neighbors, rescuer safety and helping the greatest number of people possible.
That community connection is especially important during large-scale emergencies. A resident who knows how to stop severe bleeding, check a damaged structure safely or organize volunteers can provide meaningful help during the critical period before additional resources arrive.
Harris County Citizen Corps works more broadly to connect volunteers, local leaders and first responder organizations so they can share resources and help residents prepare for disaster situations.
How to Register for the Fall CERT Course
The Fall 2026 CERT classes will meet from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Monday evenings, September 28 through November 23, at:
Harris County ESD No. 48 Administration Building
21201 Morton Road
Katy, TX 77449
Registration is available through the course’s online registration form.
Residents may also contact Mary Payne at Mary.Payne@hcesd48.org for registration information.
Additional information about Community Emergency Response Teams and other local preparedness opportunities is available through the Harris County Citizen Corps.
For Williamsburg Settlement residents who have ever wondered how they could help their families and neighbors during a disaster, the fall CERT course offers a place to begin—with practical instruction, hands-on experience and a stronger connection to the people preparing alongside them.
Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more Katy-area emergency preparedness programs, public safety classes and community updates.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
