CERT Field Day -- Practicing to Help in Disasters
March 28, 2026
We are truly fortunate not to experience many large-scale disasters here in Riverside County. Because our communities rarely face major emergencies, it can be difficult to imagine what a significant disaster would look like or how it might disrupt our daily lives. The quiet stretches between events can sometimes give the impression that we’re insulated from harm. Yet preparedness is not just about responding to what has already happened—it's about recognizing what could happen and ensuring our communities are ready long before the next major crisis occurs.
Riverside County’s 7,300 square miles hold plenty of potential hazards. Each year, brush fires flare across our hills and canyons, testing our firefighters and reminding us how quickly conditions can change. Seasonal storms bring heavy rains and flooding, sometimes disrupting neighborhoods or roadways. While many of these events are handled swiftly and professionally, each carries the possibility of growing into something more severe—something that could stretch our public safety resources thin. Earthquakes offer the same reminder. The small tremors we feel from time to time may do little more than rattle a few nerves, but they underscore a much larger truth: a major quake is not a matter of if, but when.
That understanding is what makes community preparedness so important. In a large-scale disaster, professional first responders may not be able to reach every neighborhood immediately. That’s why the Emergency Management Department’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program exists: to empower residents with the skills, confidence, and knowledge they need to safely assist their families, neighbors, and communities when it matters most. CERT volunteers are not replacements for firefighters or paramedics, but they serve as a trained, organized force multiplier—capable of providing basic support until professional help arrives.
The recent CERT Field Day was a perfect example of this mission in action. Community members from across the Coachella Valley gathered in Indio to learn directly from emergency professionals, participate in hands-on exercises, and practice the skills that can save lives during a major disaster. From first aid and fire suppression to search-and-rescue techniques and disaster communication, Field Day offered residents a unique opportunity to connect, collaborate, and build resilience together. Events like this strengthen not only individual preparedness but also the bonds that hold our communities together. And in times of crisis, those connections—along with a prepared and engaged public—make all the difference.
Special thank you to our partners at CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department, cities from across the Coachella Valley, Coachella Valley Disaster Preparedness Network (CVDPN) and volunteers from our RACES and other EMD volunteer groups.
