Ten residents graduated from the Fall 2025 cohort of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program, managed by the Queen Anne’s County Department of Emergency Services, which concluded on October 28.

The class was held weekly, spanning eight evenings in September and October, at the Queen Anne’s County Library Kent Island Branch in Stevensville. Participants learned how to become better prepared and how to help until professional first responders arrive for situations ranging from day-to-day emergencies to large-scale disasters. In addition to the nationally recognized CERT Basic curriculum, the Queen Anne’s County program incorporates Bystander CPR/AED, Stop the Bleed, and Narcan training into their offering of the course.

As previously covered on the Conduit Street Blog, CERT training equips residents with practical, life-saving skills that strengthen community resilience. By preparing volunteers to step in during emergencies, counties reduce the burden on first responders, ensure faster local response times, and build stronger community trust. These programs create a safety net that benefits everyone, from households to countywide operations, by fostering a culture of readiness and collaboration.