next »

[CERT-LA Forum]

 CERT-LA Forum » Program Management » Recruiting New CERT Members
 Background checks

1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever

[jdogdjd]

Do any of you perform background checks on your CERT recruits?  We perform background checks on our volunteer firefighter recruits so the issue has come up about requiring the same for CERT recruits.  I'd like to hear what other communities are doing before presenting anything to my higher-ups.

[mycrofft]

Our CERT has candidates fill out questionaires that include information I think is used for a basic check with local law enforcement and perhaps with other databases such as sexual predator registries. There is enough time lapse between registration and first class that they would have time to get it done. They do not discuss or reveal it with us volunteers, but the local PD is an active cooperant in the training.

[CoralHeightsCERT]

[mycrofft]

Consider CERT as a skill set you will carry internally and can maintain, and remember the good you've done so far. Most people in your community probably have not done as much. Even if you are not immediately engaged in the CERT process, there are valuable services to render as a private/unaffiliated individual, such as developing and maintaining listings of pet-friendly lodgings vis a vis relocation/evacuation, talking up support for the CERT concept to local merchants (goods for fundraisers, signing agreements with CERT for providing emergency materials in a disaster, or just joining), etc. In fact, repetitive logistic and networking support is the hardest to get on a competent basis; like the air force, everyone wants to be a fighter pilot, no one wants to sweep the runway, but it's gotta get done.

[Steven Kays]

I think that the hard line felony drop rule is bull shit, pardon my french but it puts my opinion into clear focus.

I certainly can see where some folks are undesirable. Baring sex offenders and murders I feel people who appear to be upstanding individuals and have had a large space of time since something that would show up on the background check could be extended some leeway. Not saying I want to take Folsom prison and make them all CERTs but there needs to be some discretion!