Art
After 9/11, ordinary Americans joined volunteer emergency response teams in their towns. These CERT members—Community Emergency Response Teams—trained to help neighbors survive disasters. By 2013, thousands of civilians had become their community's first line of defense.
Art · Full story
You're standing on Main Street as the parade passes. Among the floats and marching bands, you spot bright shirts: the CERT volunteers, walking in formation. They're your neighbors—the accountant, the nurse, the retired teacher—now trained to rescue, first aid, and organize when disaster strikes. Their presence says something quiet but firm: we're ready, and we're watching out for each other.
Reflect
Has a disaster or emergency ever changed how you see your neighbors or your town?