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Alt-CERT: Community-Driven Preparedness for Climate Disasters

All Hands: Community-Driven Preparedness for Climate Disasters

The All Hands curriculum is both a response and an antidote to the limitations of FEMA’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training. All Hands does not replace FEMA CERT. Rather, All Hands responds to calls from disinvested communities to address community-identified limitations of the federal curriculum through greater focus on understanding the causes and consequences of the climate crisis, practicing community-driven mutual aid, building the power of our communities that are left behind in conventional disaster preparedness and response, and liberating resources for community-led climate disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in disinvested communities.

The All Hands curriculum will be piloted for the first time in Santa Ana in Winter 2026.

Context

California is experiencing the acceleration of unprecedented climate disasters. Many of our communities have lived through the first few phases of climate disasters and now have the opportunity to apply lessons we have learned to how we prepare ourselves for the current and additional impending crises: Most California localities are wildly underprepared. Some of the biggest challenges have been language access, cultural relevancy, and bridging the gaps of racial and economic inequities and emergency response models that are siloed and do not address community needs before, during, and after a crisis. Smaller, more community-driven organizations have been more effective than larger NGO or government entities in reaching those most in need, and yet are profoundly underresourced.

There is no time to waste. As we prepare for and recover from climate crises, our communities are seeing that we can’t rebuild with the same values that resulted in the destruction we are seeing all around us. We must rebuild with the common good at the center of our communities, our governance models, and our relationship to the land, air, water, energy, and one another.

Learn more about Alt-CERT’s roots at the statewide Alt-CERT website.

Objectives

In each participating community…

  • Organizers of the workshop series establish (or strengthen an existing) coalition dedicated to community-driven climate disaster preparedness, response, & recovery
  • Participants develop a community-driven climate disaster preparedness and response plan with participation of neighbors
  • Participants gain a deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change
  • Participants gain new skills and knowledge that support them in feeling confident to serve their communities in disaster preparedness and response
  • Coalition/cohort leaves with at least one proactive climate solution that is needed to build climate resilience in their community

Santa Ana Pilot

The Pilot of this curriculum is designed for individuals who live or work in Santa Ana and have a strong passion for community resilience. Our goal is to equip community members with the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for and respond to climate-related disasters. We especially welcome those involved in disability justice, environmental justice, and economic justice, but anyone with a deep commitment to their community’s well-being is encouraged to apply.

The training consists of nine sessions held weekly on Monday evenings. In addition, please note that there will also be one special daylong session on a Saturday in February 2026 (exact Saturday date TBD). All sessions will take place at the Village on E. 17th Street in Santa Ana. Dinner will be provided starting at 5:30 p.m., with the formal content of the workshop beginning at 6:00 p.m. and concluding at 8:45 p.m.

To receive an honorarium and certificate of completion for the series, participants must attend at least eight of the ten sessions. We look forward to working with you to build a more climate resilient Santa Ana. 

The updated deadline to apply is Friday, November 7, 2025. Selected applicants will be notified of their application status by Friday, November 14, 2025.