Become an Emergency Services Volunteer (ESV)

We encourage you, whether you live or work in Palo Alto, to learn more about our Emergency Services Volunteer program.  This is one way you can become a volunteer resource for your neighborhood or organization and to get involved in your community.  

Choose a role that's right for you: 

• Do you enjoy walking around your neighborhood, meeting and connecting with your neighbors? Become a Block Preparedness Coordinator (BPC).
• Are you more of an active, boots-on-the-ground person? Train with us to become a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member.
• Is your interest in radio-based communication technologies with people around Palo Alto and the Bay Area? Join our Auxiliary Communications Services (ACS) branch that includes amateur radio as well as voice and digital systems

Review the associated tiles to learn more about each team role.  

Go back to the Get Involved: Emergency Services Volunteers page

Do you enjoy walking around your neighborhood, meeting and connecting with your neighbors?

Become a Block Preparedness Coordinator (BPC).

• BPCs are relevant not only in a disaster, but also in our everyday lives, building social networks in our neighborhoods, deterring crimes, and preparing for emergencies.
• During activation, BPCs check on their neighbors, identify and report critical problems to their Neighborhood Preparedness Coordinators (NPCs), and assist in getting resources on the scene.
• When neighbors know each other, they look out for each other and work better together. BPCs are the driving force that makes this happen, making our neighborhoods safer places to live.

Attend a training class.

Block Preparedness Coordinator (BPC) Training

• This introduction to the BPC program is offered quarterly, and includes Neighborhood Watch training.
• Open to the public, in this training learn about the partnership between the City and community, and how BPCs establish communications links to "blocks" (residences and businesses), promoting a resilient community and self-sufficiency.
• If you don't have time to take an in-person class, take the Online BPC Class.

Join: Once you have attended a basic training event, registering is simple.

Fill out the volunteer registration form and select "Submit."

Our ESV Program Administrator will get an alert and process your application. We'll then connect you with your neighborhood team and invite you to events throughout the year.

Are you an active, boots-on-the-ground person?

Train with us to become a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) member.

• CERT Basic Training is a national program designed to help prepare Palo Alto residents to help themselves, their families, and their neighbors in the event of a disaster.
• Following such an event, CERT members can extinguish small fires, turn off gas inlets to damaged homes, perform light search-and-rescue, and render basic first aid.

Attend the CERT Basic Training Class. 

 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Basic Training course

• The OES offers CERT Basic Training twice a year; once in the spring, once in the fall.
• CERT members receive approximately 24 hours of training, taught in 7 sessions, in earthquake preparedness, disaster fire suppression techniques, disaster medical operations, first aid/CPR, and light search-and-rescue, as well as team organization and management.
• CERT training culminates with a disaster simulation and comprehensive course review. The CERT program provides an effective response capability.

Join: Once you have attended basic training, registering is simple.

Fill out the volunteer registration form and select "Submit."

Our ESV Program Administrator will get an alert and process your application. We'll then connect you with your neighborhood team and invite you to events we host throughout the year.

Is your interest in radio-based communication technologies with people around Palo Alto and the Bay Area?

Join our Auxiliary Communications Services (ACS) branch.

• ACS includes ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) and RACES (Radio Amateur Civilian Emergency Services).
• Palo Alto's ACS supplements emergency communications with volunteer staff. Both licensed and unlicensed volunteers can serve in one or more functions across administrative, management, technical, or operational areas in both ARES and RACES.
• If you'd like more information, please call us at (650) 617-3197, or email oes@paloalto.gov.

Join: Registering is simple.

Fill out the volunteer registration form and select "Submit."

Our ESV Program Administrator will get an alert and process your application. We'll then connect you with our volunteer staff to get you started.