From Suspicious Activity to Scene Response: Empowering CERT Volunteers in Terror-Threat Environments

When the Unthinkable Happens Nearby

When the unthinkable happens—a backpack left behind at a street fair, a car parked too long near a parade route—the space between awareness and official response can define the outcome. In that gap, calm, trained Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers become the bridge between fear and coordination. Their vigilance and composure can mean the difference between chaos and control.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) developed CERT to educate and organize citizens before disasters strike. But in an age of “soft-target” terrorism—public venues and everyday spaces vulnerable to low-tech, high-impact attacks—the CERT mission extends beyond earthquakes and floods. It now includes the prevention, recognition, and initial stabilization of human-caused threats (FEMA, n.d.-a).

Terrorism today increasingly exploits community openness. A 2023 United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee report identified “everyday venues” as the preferred settings for attackers seeking maximum fear with minimal planning. Such events often begin not with explosions or gunfire, but with indicators—unattended bags, unauthorized filming of access points, or someone testing barriers (United Nations, 2023).

The Department of Homeland Security’s If You See Something, Say Something® campaign reminds citizens that vigilance is a civic responsibility (DHS, n.d.-a). Yet for CERT members, vigilance is professionalized. They are trained to distinguish between credible observation and paranoia. CERT Unit 8, Terrorism and CERT, teaches volunteers how to identify precursor behaviors, collect descriptive details, and report accurately without escalating public panic (FEMA, n.d.-b).

This awareness transforms fear into readiness. By learning to see instead of merely look, CERT members extend national security’s reach into the spaces where Americans live, shop, and celebrate.

Preparedness transforms anxiety into agency. CERT volunteers train to observe calmly, communicate clearly, and act confidently. The FEMA course Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams (IS-317) outlines the core mission: protect life, prevent additional harm, and support professional responders (FEMA, n.d.-c).

Training focuses on practical empowerment:

• Observation and Reporting: noting who, what, when, where, and why before contacting authorities (DHS, n.d.-b).

• Scene Safety: keeping distance from suspicious objects or areas while maintaining situational awareness.

• Psychological First Aid: stabilizing frightened bystanders, easing fear through presence and direction.

The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) complements CERT education with WMD/Terrorism Awareness for Emergency Responders (AWR160)—a course that teaches volunteers to recognize chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive indicators (TEEX, n.d.). The objective is not heroism but discipline: the courage to stay calm and the knowledge to act correctly.

When an incident occurs, the first few minutes define everything. FEMA’s Target Capabilities List (2007) emphasizes the intelligence and investigations function—collecting, verifying, and sharing information between the public and response agencies. CERTs play a unique role here: they are the trained eyes on the ground.

They do not confront suspects or defuse devices. Instead, they gather data, manage crowds, and maintain order until command arrives. They speak the same language as first responders because CERT training integrates the Incident Command System (ICS), ensuring consistent communication and chain-of-command discipline.

In practice, this means that when communication lines falter, CERT volunteers become the human relay—a stabilizing link that keeps local officials informed and communities safe.

Effective counterterrorism begins with community trust. CERT volunteers embody that trust. Through neighborhood drills, faith-based workshops, and civic outreach, they normalize preparedness and replace fear with familiarity.

FEMA’s CERT guidance stresses that community education is prevention. Awareness sessions help residents recognize that suspicious activity is defined by behavior, not appearance—a distinction essential to maintaining both security and civil liberties (FEMA, n.d.-a).

The Department of Homeland Security’s Community Awareness Briefing similarly warns that bias-driven suspicion undermines the credibility of vigilance programs (DHS, n.d.-c). By training citizens to focus on actions—such as surveillance, testing of security, or unauthorized access—CERTs help ensure that vigilance strengthens unity rather than division.

Through this outreach, CERTs become more than responders. They are the local ambassadors of resilience—neighbors who remind others that preparedness is a shared duty, not a specialist’s privilege.

Preparedness is not about predicting the next attack—it is about participation. The CERT volunteer embodies that principle: watchful but not fearful, proactive but not reckless.

When the next moment of uncertainty comes—a strange noise at a fairground, a suspicious package at a transit hub—the community’s first safeguard may not wear a uniform. It may be a trained volunteer who remembers the mission: see clearly, stay calm, and serve with courage.

Because the difference between chaos and coordination is often one steady voice—ready before the sirens ever sound.

Department of Homeland Security. (n.d.-a). If You See Something, Say Something® campaign. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something

Department of Homeland Security. (n.d.-b). How to report suspicious activity. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/how-to-report-suspicious-activity

Department of Homeland Security. (n.d.-c). Community Awareness Briefing (CAB). U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/prevention/clearinghouse-category/training-opportunities

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2007). Target Capabilities List: A companion to the National Preparedness Guidelines. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.fema.gov/pdf/government/training/tcl.pdf

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (n.d.-a). Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/individuals-communities/preparedness-activities-webinars/community-emergency-response-team

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (n.d.-b). CERT Basic Training: Participant Manual, Unit 8 – Terrorism and CERT. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2019.CERT_.Basic_.IG_.FINAL_.508c.pdf

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (n.d.-c). IS-317: Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams. U.S. Department of Homeland Security. https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-317

Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service. (n.d.). AWR160 – WMD/Terrorism Awareness for Emergency Responders. https://teex.org/class/awr160/

United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate. (2023). Protecting vulnerable targets from terrorism. United Nations. https://www.un.org/counterterrorism