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Fairfax County’s proposed budget for the coming year called for eliminating its Community Emergency Response Team, an all-volunteer program credited with strengthening emergency preparedness and supporting first responders. The Board of Supervisors was scheduled to vote on the budget May 13, 2025.
More than 500 CERT volunteers contributed nearly 20,000 service hours during the previous year, providing an estimated value of over $1 million to county residents and emergency personnel.
CERT trains residents to help themselves, their families and their neighbors during natural disasters and everyday emergencies. Volunteers also support first responders through traffic and crowd management, participation in exercises and drills, and canteen services at major incidents across Fairfax County.
Supporters warned that eliminating the program would leave a substantial gap in the county’s emergency preparedness and response support. They urged residents to contact Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey McKay and their district supervisors to advocate for keeping CERT.