Please Give to Coastside CERT via Coastside Gives

It's our once-a-year ask to keep all training and materials free of charge for residents of the Coastside.

Give any time now through  May 2

Our Power Hour is May 2, 8:00-8:59 a.m.

For more info go to coastsidegives.org , click on donate, and scroll down to Coastside CERT 

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 445 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

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).

• Learn how to save a life

• A person can bleed to death in a matter of minutes

• Just a few hours of training can provide the knowledge and skill to save a life

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! 

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

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. 

Coastside CERT would like to welcome certificated Coastside CERTS to join us.  We are very 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, as follows:

All Coastside CERTs are eligible to take this Advanced CERT Training class but 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)    

July

21 July   Preparation for Great Coastside ShakeOUT ACT 4, Sunday. Hours 9:00-12:00, location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main Street, Half Moon Bay. Everything you need to know to get prepared for the Great Coastside ShakeOut. Bring your whole neighborhood team or come solo. Practice setting up a Neighborhood Command Post with a neighborhood FRS networks, a Ham a neighborhood radio network, practice the roles of scribes, runners, and the Neighborhood Incident Commander.  Field neighborhood response teams, and communicate with first responders at the Department Operations Center (DOC). Simplified form filling out. Lots of hands-on practice with mentors who will help you one-on-one.  More info to follow. Reservation LINK (will activate soon)

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

August

3 September  San Mateo County Emergency Preparedness Fair

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

September

TBD  September Montara Art & Music Festival

22 September.  Great Coastside ShakeOut Sunday, Hours 9:30-1:00 Everyone participates from their neighborhoods! The only Coastside-wide earthquake drill and radio exercise. Allied agencies welcome! Much more information to follow.

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+; 15-17 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

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

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

28  November - Thanksgiving

December

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

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 

• EG Prepared:  Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Net Practice.  Weekly on Tuesdays.  6:30PM on Channel 21.

• El Granada Community Preparedness Meeting, 1st Wednesday of each Month, 6:30p.m. at EG Fire Station 41

  • Mar 24: Earthquake Preparedness

  • April 3: Go Bags & Prep for April 7 FRS Drill

  • April 7: FRS Drill - 2:00p Burnham Strip across from old Station 41.

    • • • Practice radio and notes and scribing / Practice call-in and scribe 

  • May 1:  Ready - Set - Go

    • • • Multiple plans pending scenario

        •  Tsunami evacuation

        • Fires (depends on direction) – notifications on Genasys/ZoneHaven Protect site.

        • Earthquake 

• May 11: Upper El Granada Evacuation Fire Drill 

  • • • • Additional information forthcoming 

East Miramar

• Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Net Practice.  First and Third Monday of every Month.  7:00PM (1900) on Channel 6.

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.

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? 

• Overview of CERT neighborhood organization, map review, discussion of rally points, support for organized neighborhoods, etc. 

• Neighborhood Communications/Emergency Communications

• Data Managers: CERT roster, privacy policy, neighborhood rosters and mailing lists

• Trials/Tribulations and Success Stories from organized neighborhoods

• Questions/Answers/Support Requests

• If time permits we will break out into small groups for further discussion 

• If you have questions or a topic you want to be sure we cover, drop it onto the sign-up form at the link below.

• Please use this LINK to signup for the class!  GREAT RESPONSE! This CLASS is NOW FULL. Use the signup link to be added to the Waitlist. Each participant must register separately.

• Registration will close on Thursday, January 11th.

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

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

• Free disaster preparedness & response training - basic training, ongoing refresher opportunities, and advanced CERT training classes in English & Spanish.

• Communications infrastructure to send timely local safety messages, webinars, videos, tutorials, and Chief David Cosgrave's Newsletters.

• Critical practice drills & mutual aid activations with other emergency response agencies, as during the CZU fires & burn scar debris flow evacuations, and CERT volunteers who have continuously staffed HMB COVID testing sites since June 2020. 

• Preparedness & response equipment. 

• Growth of neighbor helping neighbor networks in every local neighborhood as they work together to strengthen communication and resilience.

VIDEOS
To check out our CERT videos on our VIMEO channel, click here.