Coastside CERT Basic Training Academy is offered both In-Person and Online.


**NEW** Updated map of the 32 Coastside CERT Neighborhoods with boundaries and zones (where applicable)



2024 Coastside CERT Calendar


Stay tuned!  We are pleased to present a whole year of CERT training opportunities & events. This is the current plan but life happens and everything is subject to change. We endeavor to let everyone know program dates as early as possible but sometimes that results in having to change dates, times, or locations as we get closer to the actual event.  We'll keep you updated right here.  All classes are offered free of charge.

Have it your way! CERT Basic Training is offered twice a year,  Spring and Fall.  Please sign up now for Fall CERT Basic Training in October/November 2024. You may choose in-person training coursework (preferred option) leading to Training Day & Graduation or online coursework that dovetails into the same in-person Training Day & Graduation.  

Advanced CERT Training (ACT) classes are offered for all of you awesome certificated CERTs (currently, there are 444 Coastside CERTs). It's an a la carte menu of topical classes usually held at Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St, Half Moon Bay,  2023 ACT training topics:  Neighborhood Organizers Forum, Radio Training: Walkie-Talkie Basics and Beyond, Neighborhood Command Post + Great Coastside ShakeOut Prep. These classes provide an opportunity to focus on a specific CERT

skill or topic and to get hands-on practice as appropriate. 

Educate the Coastside!  These classes are open to all Coastsiders. Topics include "Shake & Bake" - Earthquake & Wildfire + Disaster Food & Water Preparation and Stop the Bleed.

Coastside CERT Neighborhood Action - Please scroll down to see what's happening where you live.  Neighborhood Leads, want your neighborhood events, radio practices, and drills listed on this calendar? Happy to post them! Please send a brief description to coastsidecert@gmail.com


2024

October


19-20 October Pumpkin Festival. This is not CERT's party, of course, but we do encourage our membership to volunteer to support their favorite local nonprofits.


TBD (Between 10/8 and10/28) October  Instructional Q&A Zoom to localize FEMA curriculum for Fall CERT online students who have completed their 10 online modules. Time: 6:30-8:00 PM. Zoom link will be sent to qualified students. 


30 October Fall CERT In-person Class #1 Wednesday 6:30-9:00

Disaster Preparedness, local Annexes, CERT Organization (ICS), Intro to Triage


November


Fall CERT In-Person Basic Training Academy Schedule - 3 classes + Training Day & Graduation. Attendance at all 4 sessions is required to graduate. Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St. HMB. Open to everyone 18+; 14-17 yrs. by special arrangement. Questions? Please email coastsidecert@gmail.com 


30 October In-person Class #1 Wednesday 6:30-9:00

Disaster Preparedness, local Annexes, CERT Organization (ICS), Intro to Triage

2 November In-person Class #2 Saturday 9:00-5:00

Disaster Medical Operations I + Triage, Disaster Medical Ops II, Fire Safety & Utility Controls 

6 November In-person Class #3 Wednesday 6:30-9:00

Disaster Psychology, Terrorism & CERT, Light Search & Rescue, Stop the Bleed

9 November Training Day & Graduation Saturday 9:00-4:00 

Orientation, Hands-On Skills Training, Disaster Simulation, Graduation


28  November - Thanksgiving


December


14 November Storm Safety, Saturday, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Coastal Rep Theatre, 1167 Main St., HMB.  Coastside CERT is delighted to announce the return of PG&E spokesperson Frank Fraone (as seen on TV) by popular demand to make his timely presentation about how to avoid being electrocuted by downed powerlines and electrically charged water (among other useful topics) before our January storm season begins again. 


   This CERT Educate the Coastside event is open to all.  Admission is free but registration is required. Please register at this link (Link will be activated in October.) 125 seats available. 


   

Holiday break! - no training or meetings except events organized by neighborhoods. 


Coastside CERTs organize in their local neighborhoods. Upcoming events!

Events in black type are upcoming or recurring activities. Previous events are noted in grey typeface. 

Montara 

Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Network practice. First Tuesday of Every Month, 7:00 p.m. Channel 22.

Moss Beach

Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Network practice. Fourth Tuesday of Every Month, 7:00 p.m. Channel 10.

El Granada 

East Miramar


Frenchman’s Creek  

 

FCPrepared:  Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Net Practice.  Third Monday of each Month.  7:45 PM (1945 local) on Channel 8.

Kehoe/Casa del Mar

Highland Park

Alsace Lorraine 

Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Network practice. Second and Fourth Monday of Every Month, 7:00 p.m. Channel 22.


Previously held 2024 Coastside CERT events

January


13 January  Neighborhood Leadership Forum SOLD OUT ACT 1, Saturday, 9:00-11:30 AM, at Coastside Fire Protection District Fire Station 40, 1191 Main Street Half Moon Bay.  Everyone with an interest in organizing their neighborhoods is invited.  We will answer your questions and welcome your shared lessons 

learned from trying to organize your own neighborhoods.  How is Coastside CERT organized? Why? What are the steps of organizing and sustaining your 

   neighborhood's safety network? 


25 January  Half Moon Bay High School Winter Real Life Learning Service Jam, Thursday, 12:45-1:45, HMBHS Courtyard. 

CERT Karen Hoffman organizes this event twice a year to sign up HMBHS students with local agencies and nonprofits to earn their 35 community service 

hours credits required for graduation. Coastside CERT is hosting a table at the event and will reserve 6 spaces FILLED! for HMBHS students in Spring CERT. This is Coastside's version of TEEN CERT for now. Interested students should check in with Karen and register for in-person Spring CERT Basic Training Academy at coastsidecert.com Wow! Amazing response! All 6 spaces were filled in the first week. Interested students may now go to coastsidecert.com and register for Fall CERT Basic Training Academy in-person classes. Please add that you are a HMBHS student in the "other" section of the Google signup form.


February


10 February  Shake & Bake + Disaster Food & Water - Disaster Preparedness for Californians, Sunday, class hours 10:00 a.m. - noon. Location: Half Moon Bay Yacht Club, 214 Princeton Ave/Vassar Ave in the Harbor/Princeton neighborhood. Park respectfully on nearby streets and walk down Vassar Ave to the HMBYC Event Center at its beautiful location right on the water.

 

Educate the Coastside!  This training class is open to all Coastside residents.  It will provide information on how to prepare for earthquakes and what to do during and after, especially if the earthquake causes fires. 


Arrive at 9:30 a.m. to help set up

Class 10:00-noon

Help reset the venue noon-12:30 p.m.


Our certificated CERT instructors, Matt Linton and Carrie Tillie will share practical advice on how to build your supplies for both shelter-in-place and evacuation when disaster strikes. Carrie has been a cooking school graduate and culinary historian for more than three decades, and as a newly certified CERT Trainer, is looking forward to expanding her gastronomic training skills locally. Matt currently works as a critical incident manager in the tech industry and has 27 years of experience in both professional and volunteer Fire & Rescue roles. 

 

Maximum class size is 100 people and prior registration is required. The first 100 registrants will be in the class and the remainder will be on the waitlist. Please use this LINK to sign-up for the class. Each participant must register separately.


Due to an overwhelmingly positive response, this class is now full and a waitlist has formed. Please use the link above to sign-up for the wait list. Thank you all! 


28 February Spring CERT In-person Class #1 Wednesday 6:30-9:00

Disaster Preparedness, local Annexes, CERT Organization (ICS), Intro to Triage


March


4 March  Instructional Q&A Zoom Monday evening to localize FEMA curriculum for Spring CERT online students who have completed their 10 online modules. Time: 6:30-8:00 PM. Zoom link will be sent to qualified students. 


Spring CERT In-Person Basic Training Academy Schedule - 3 classes + Training Day & Graduation. Attendance at all 4 sessions is required to graduate. Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St. HMB. Open to everyone 18+; 15-17 yrs. by special arrangement. Questions? Please email coastsidecert@gmail.com 

28 February In-person Class #1 Wednesday 6:30-9:00

Disaster Preparedness, local Annexes, CERT Organization (ICS)

2 March  In-person Class #2 Saturday 9:00-5:00

Disaster Medical Operations I + Triage, Disaster Medical Ops II, Fire Safety & Utility Controls 

6 March  In-person Class #3 Wednesday 6:30-9:00

Disaster Psychology, Terrorism & CERT, Light Search & Rescue

9 March  Training Day & Graduation Saturday 9:00-4:00 

Orientation, Hands-On Skills Training, Disaster Simulation, Graduation


April


14 April Stop the Bleed  Sunday, hours 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  HMB Class is full! Thank you!  Places still available in Redwood City on Saturday, April 13.  Email Brenda at BGarrett@raytomgroup.com to register. 


HMB class location: Coastside Emergency Operation Center, 537 Kelly Ave Half Moon Bay.  Instruction provided by professional trainers from The RAYTOM Group funded by a Homeland Security grant through the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI).


Educate the Coastside! Everyone is eligible to take this Stop the Bleed class but registration is limited to the first 30 individuals who sign up by emailing Brenda at BGarrett@raytomgroup.com. Please indicate that you are registering for the HMB class (two other sessions are being offered on Saturday over the hill).


20 April Coastside Preparedness Day  Saturday, 9:00 a.m. - noon. Main Street at Kelly Ave., Downtown Half Moon Bay. More info to follow.


27 April Ham Radio Technician Licensing Class #1 of 2 Saturday, 10:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Half Moon Bay Library Community Room. Everyone is welcome!

Members of the Half Moon Bay and SC4 amateur radio clubs are hosting a two-day Technician Licensing Class on 4/27 and 5/4. To ask questions or to register for the classes please email 2024exams@hmbarc.org


You must register for the FCC Licensing exam by April 30th at  https://ham.study/sessions/657674bf30f12875482a3768/1


May


2 May  Coastside Gives Day  Please do!  Coastside CERT Power Hour 8:00-8:59 AM


4 May  Ham Radio Technician Licensing Class #2 of 2 Saturday, 10:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Half Moon Bay Library Community Room. Everyone is welcome!

Members of the Half Moon Bay and SC4 amateur radio clubs are hosting a two-day Technician Licensing Class 4/27 and 5/4. To ask questions or to register for the class please email 2024exams@hmbarc.org


11 May  Ham Radio FCC Licensing Exam Saturday, 10:15 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Half Moon Bay Library Community Room.

All license class exams will be offered and it is not required that you attend the licensing class. You must register for the exam by April 30th.


19 May  Coastside CERT 5th Year Anniversary Volunteer Thank You, Sunday, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. Location Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main Street, Half Moon Bay. We welcome all Coastside CERTs and their families to come celebrate our 5th Anniversary of sponsorship by the Coastside Fire Protection District. Come play, learn, and enjoy a casual meal together as we say thank you for building our very successful program. This is a true thank you event, not a fundraiser. RSVP is required with this form by May 12th


June


1 June HMB Wine & Jazz Fest  Not a CERT event but a fun civic fundraiser. Our members are encouraged to volunteer to support their favorite local nonprofits.


8 June  Walkie Talkie Radiopalooza - AM Basic Instruction + PM Advanced Radio Skills, including forms! 8:00 am - 4:30 pm for both sessions. These are Advanced CERT Training (ACT) classes. You may sign-up for one or both sessions. Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main Street, Half Moon Bay. 


All CERTs are welcome to join us.  We are fortunate to have CERT Radio Officer Scott Pyne teaching these sessions. Radio communication will be a vital part of a CERT response in the event of an emergency. Scott will guide us through the basics in the AM session and more advanced topics in the PM session. This Advanced CERT Training registration is limited to 30 CERTs each session. Sign up at this LINK


Two sessions on the same day:

Basic Instruction 8:00 am -11:30 am. Walkie Talkie Basics and Practice. This class is for you if you want to learn things like: “How do I program the channel?”, “How do I actually talk on the radio?”, “How can I improve my radio manner/skills?” and so on.  If you routinely participate in a neighborhood net or are already a ham licensee, this class will likely be too basic for you.


CLASS: Radio Training: Walkie-Talkie Basics and Practice

DATE: Saturday – June 8, 2024 

TIME:  8:00 am to 11:30 am

Set-up and Sign-in 8:00 to 8:30 am          

Class 8:30 to 11:00 am (includes outdoor practice exercise)

Q&A and recap 11:00 to 11:30 am


LUNCH BREAK: 11:30 to 12:15 for Instructors, training team, and continuing students. PLEASE NOTE: Bring your own lunch.


Advanced Instruction 1:00-4:00 pm. Radio Training: Walkie-Talkie Advanced Topics and Practice. This class is for you if you already took the morning class (or took last year’s basic walkie-talkie class); if you are already a ham licensee; if you routinely use your walkie-talkie for neighborhood nets, drills and exercises; or if you have already participated in the Great Shakeout in a radio role. Topics covered will include directed network operations, procedural words, the phonetic alphabet, and message passing protocols.

 

CLASS: Radio Training: Walkie-Talkie Advanced Topics and Practice

DATE: Saturday – June 8, 2024 

TIME: 12:15 to 4:30 pm

Sign-in 12:15 to 12:30 pm 

Class 12:30 to 3:30 pm  

Q&A and recap 3:30 to 4:00 pm

Re-set of FS40 4:00 to 4:30 pm (all students to assist)    


22 June Coastside Fire Station 40 Open House Saturday, 9:00-noon, 1191 Main Street, Half Moon Bay. Everyone is welcome to visit the fire station, meet firefighters, tour the station, and get up close and personal with all that very cool fire fighting equipment. Smokey the Bear and Captain Cal will welcome children with open arms. Ask Coastside Fire Protection District personnel those (ahem) burning questions you have always wondered about. Really, ask them anything. Learn about the comprehensive fire fighting apparatus, water and fire retardant dropping helicopters, sea & cliff rescue teams, drone, and beach patrol resources available to enhance public safety here on the Coastside. Refreshments & giveaways. 


July


11 July City of Half Moon Bay Budget Zoom with CERTs Thursday, from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. Access via this Zoom link. If you have any questions, please reach out to Colleen Lettire at  clettire@hmbcity.com City leadership wants to hold an interactive Q & A  Zoom with our members to discuss the city’s current budget, its priorities, and how our constituents would like the City to prioritize its budget. The budget includes (non-CERT-specific) funding for emergency services. The City will also give an update on a potential revenue measure to support City services. Attendees will be able to ask questions and provide feedback during this meeting. Thank you for considering participating in this civic affairs forum. It is an opportunity to learn and engage in civil discourse with our City government.


21 July   Preparation for Great Coastside ShakeOUT, Sunday. Hours 8:30-12:30, location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main Street, Half Moon Bay.  Reservation LINK 

There is still space available for this training.

Coastside CERT welcomes all Coastsiders to join us for the second in our series of 2024 Educate the Coastside (“ETC”) classes.  These classes provide an opportunity to focus on topics of interest to CERTs, and non-CERTs alike.

This time we will focus on the set-up and function of a Neighborhood Command Post (“NCP”) which will be used in active CERT neighborhoods after a major disaster.  We will also cover everything you need to know to get yourself and your neighborhood prepared for active participation in the 5th Annual Coastside Great ShakeOut on September 22.

Bring your whole neighborhood team or come solo. Watch a demonstration of setting up, staffing, and operating an NCP by David Cosgrave and his team of Instructors.  Then get lots of practice setting up an NCP, including getting your neighborhood FRS network and your Ham station up and running, and practicing the roles of scribes, runners, and the Neighborhood Incident Commander.  The Neighborhood Incident Commanders will form and deploy Field Teams to perform damage assessments and communicate with first responders at the Department Operations Center (“DOC”).

If this sounds like gibberish, join in anyway, just as you would in a real earthquake.  There will be plenty of hands-on practice with instructors and mentors available to help you one-on-one. Reservation LINK 

22-26 July   National CERT Conference in Washington, D.C.


27 July   El Granada Fire Station 41 Open House, Saturday. Hours 9:00-12:00, Location: Coastside Fire Station 41, 555 Obispo Road, El Granada, CA. 

Everyone is welcome! Meet your firefighters and Volunteer Firefighters serving local neighborhoods from this gorgeous new station. Ask Coastside Fire Protection District personnel those (ahem) burning questions you have always wondered about. Really, ask them anything. 


Bring the children to see impressive fire apparatus up close and personal. Smokey the Bear may pop in! Learn about new wildland and WUI (Woodlan Urban Interface) fire engines on the way, water and fire retardant dropping helicopters, the Quarry Park fuel disposal program, sea & cliff rescue teams, drones, and beach patrol resources available to enhance public safety here on the Coastside. How do fire personnel interact with Harbor Patrol, Coast Guard, Law Enforcement, and County & State Parks Lifeguards for rescues at sea? Come and learn!  Refreshments & giveaways. 


27 July  ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) Class, Saturday. Hours 10:00-12:00. Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1911 Main Street, Half Moon Bay.

All ham radio operators are welcome. Jeffrey Goshorn, Coastside ARES Coordinator, is offering a class to train our local ham operators on message and traffic handling. This class is important for hams who want to be involved with emergency communications even if they are not already a part of HMB ARES. It is required for all ham operators who plan to be involved in communications as part of the Great Coastside ShakeOut. 

This is a great class for all ARES members and other licensed Radio Amateurs interested in emergency communications. Hams supporting CERT in their neighborhood will want to attend this session as preparation for the Great Coastside ShakeOut on Sept 22. This session will cover both the Net Control Station operator role and the Net Member role. 

Please Register HERE


 August


 3 August  San Mateo County Emergency Preparedness Fair


24 August  Moss Beach Fire Station 44 Open House, Saturday. Hours 9:00-12:00, location: Coastside Fire Station 44, 501 Stetson St., Moss Beach, CA. 

Going, Going....... Come say a fond farewell to the old Moss Beach Fire Station one more time before it is demolished and replaced with a brand new modern firehouse! Everyone is welcome! Meet firefighters who have served your local community for decades, as well as new firefighters looking forward to their new home away from home. Tour the old station and you will be able to compare, contrast, and fully appreciate the advances of the new one when it opens - it promises to be a dramatic upgrade. 


Children will enjoy seeing the impressive fire apparatus up close and personal. Smokey the Bear may stop by! Ask Coastside Fire Protection District personnel those (ahem) burning questions you have always wondered about. Really, ask them anything. Learn about new fire fighting engines on the way, water and fire retardant dropping helicopters, sea & cliff rescue teams, drones, and beach patrol resources available to enhance public safety here on the Coastside. 

Refreshments & giveaways. 


29    August  Great Coastside ShakeOut Prep Webinar for Neighborhood Leads, Thursday, 7:00 p.m. Everything you need to know to organize your neighborhood to participate in a successful 5th Annual Coastside-wide Earthquake and Radio Communications drill. This webinar is open to CERT Neighborhood Leads and Co-Leads from Montara to Rural Half Moon Bay. To receive the Zoom link, please email Jenny at fcprepared@gmail.com.


Summer Break!  Enjoy the rest of summer - No additional events or meetings in August except those organized by neighborhoods. 


September


11 & 18 September. LISTOS in Chinese. Wednesdays, 10:00-noon at Senior Coastsiders. This 2-session, 4-hour course is offered by Coastside CERT for Chinese-speaking Coastside residents through Senior Coastsider's multilingual outreach to the community. CERT Mike Chuang of Hillsborough is the instructor. MIke is the preeminent Chinese-language educator of emergency preparation and response classes in the Bay Area. The class will follow LISTOS curriculum: Family emergency preparation and disaster first aid. Graduation backpacks with personal emergency supplies provided by Coastside CERT. Lunch after classes courtesy of Senior Coastsiders. This course is offered to students enrolled through Senior Coastsiders. Please contact Coastside CERT at coastsidecert@gmail.com for additional information.


19 September. Real Life Learning Service Fair at HMBHS. Thursday, 12:45-1:25 pm, HMBHS Central Courtyard. Coastside CERT will host a table among all the Coastside nonprofits and agencies offering meaningful volunteer service opportunities to our amazing high school students. We are recruiting students to attend and graduate from Coastside CERT's Fall Basic Training Academy, thereby earning 20 of the 35 community service hours required for HMBHS graduation. 6 HMBHS students graduated from Spring CERT 2024. We have up to 10 HMBHS spaces open in the upcoming Fall CERT class. Students ages 14-18 welcome with written consent of parent or guardian. Questions? Contact coastsidecert@gmail.com or text 310.429.9197. to register: coastsidecert.com


19 September.  Educate the Coastside! - 5th Annual Great Coastside ShakeOut Webinar,  Thursday, 7:00 p.m. In advance of the Sunday Exercise, we will all watch a webinar on Earthquake Preparedness hosted by David Cosgrave, CERT Program Manager and Emergency Supervisor for San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management (SMC DEM).   This webinar will give all attendees real-world knowledge about what to do if there is a significant earthquake here on the coast.

 

David Cosgrave is inviting you to register for a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: 5th Annual Coastside Great ShakeOut Webinar
Time: Sep 19, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
To register please go to:
https://smcgov.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlf-mprDwuGdIZHyOajtCEoybItv4KCJUV


22 September.  Educate the Coastside - 5th Annual Great Coastside ShakeOut Sunday, Hours 10-noon. Everyone participates from their neighborhoods! The only Coastside-wide earthquake drill and radio exercise. Allied agencies welcome! 

Coastside CERT would be honored to have all residents of our CERT Neighborhoods participate in the

5th Annual Coastside Great ShakeOut

Earthquake Education and Communications Exercise

 There will be two events:

 

First Event: In advance of the Sunday Exercise, we will all watch a webinar on Earthquake Preparedness hosted by David Cosgrave, CERT Program Manager and Emergency Supervisor for San Mateo County Department of Emergency Management (SMC DEM).   This webinar is on Thursday, September 19th at 7:00 pm, and will give all attendees real-world knowledge about what to do if there is a significant earthquake here on the coast.

 

David Cosgrave is inviting you to register for a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: 5th Annual Coastside Great ShakeOut Webinar
Time: Sep 19, 2024 07:00 PM Pacific Time
To register please go to:
https://smcgov.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlf-mprDwuGdIZHyOajtCEoybItv4KCJUV

Second Event:  The Coastside Great ShakeOut Communications Exercise will be on Sunday, September 22nd starting at 10:00 am and ending around 11:30 or noon.  Each active CERT neighborhood will have an opportunity to practice vital skills that will be needed in the event of a major earthquake or other disaster.  Look forward to great ways to connect and learn as a community.   Many neighborhoods will have family-friendly aspects to their exercise activities.   

 

Look for more information in early September directly from your Neighborhood Leads.  For questions or to express interest in participating please contact your own

Neighborhood Lead (see contact info under the “Neighborhoods - Get Involved” tab above), Coastside CERT at coastsidecert@gmail.com, or Jenny at     fcprepared@gmail.com.


22 September Montara Art & Music Festival


October





Coastside CERT thanks Coastside Gives, 100+ Coastside Women Who Give - Coastside, the Richard M. Schulze Foundation, and our generous donors for their support. 

How will your donations be used?

Your donations are vital to our mission as we amplify our outreach
to serve more residents of the larger Coastside community

 

VIDEOS
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