2025 Coastside CERT Calendar

Stay tuned!  We are pleased to present a whole year of CERT training opportunities & events. This is the current plan but life happens and everything is subject to change. We endeavor to let everyone know program dates as early as possible but sometimes that results in having to change dates, times, or locations as we get closer to the actual event. We'll keep you updated right here. All classes are offered free of charge.

Have it your way! CERT Basic Training is offered twice a year, Spring and Fall. Please sign up now for Fall CERT Basic Training in November 2025. You may choose in-person training coursework (preferred option) leading to Training Day & Graduation or online coursework that dovetails into the same in-person Training Day & Graduation.  

Advanced CERT Training (ACT) classes are offered for all of you awesome certificated CERTs (currently, there are 463 Coastside CERTs). It's an a la carte menu of topical classes usually held at Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St, Half Moon Bay. These classes provide an opportunity to focus on a specific CERT skill or topic and to get hands-on practice as appropriate.

Educate the Coastside (ETC)! These classes are open to all Coastsiders. Previous topics included "Shake & Bake"- Earthquake & Wildfire + Disaster Food & Water Preparation, Stop the Bleed, Disaster First Aid, and Storm Safety.

2025 ACT & ETC training topics:  

• Neighborhood Leadership Forum

• Radiopalooza - Radio Training: Walkie-Talkie Basics and Beyond

• Neighborhood Command Post ("NCP") + Great Coastside ShakeOut Prep. 

• Single Skill: Fire Extinguisher Training

• CERT Skills Refresher

Coastside CERT Neighborhood Action - Please scroll down to see what's happening where you live. 

Neighborhood Leads, want your neighborhood events, radio practices, and drills listed on this calendar? Happy to post them! Please send a brief description to coastsidecert@gmail.com

2025

San Mateo County Emergency Preparedness: Be Wildfire Safe & Ready

Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025

Time: 10:00–1:00 PM

Location: San Mateo County Events Center, Fiesta Hall

Come to a FREE event to help you and your family get ready for wildfires. Learn from emergency response experts, connect with local agencies, and take home vital preparedness resources.

FREE Parking   FREE Admission  FREE Resources

Safety Element and Emergency Prep Coastside Community Meeting

Date: Monday, April 28

Time: 6:00-8:30 p.m.

Location: Half Moon Bay Library, 620 Correas St.

This upcoming community meeting (jointly held by City of HMB  and SMC County), will focus on the City's Draft Safety Elements Plan. The workshop participants will also want to talk about emergency preparedness and safety. All participating agencies will have teams present at tables with materials to discuss important safety topics, and share information about their services and other resources. This will be an excellent opportunity to engage with residents. 

Half Moon Bay and San Mateo County are working to build a safer, more resilient future as we face the effects of climate change. Join us to learn about environmental hazards, provide input, and explore solutions with neighbors and City and County staff. 

This effort is part of the Peninsula Resilience Planning Project (PREP). PREP is a regional effort helping Coastside communities prepare for climate change and natural hazards. Right now, Half Moon Bay is updating our Safety Element, a key part of the City’s General Plan, that outlines potential risks and strategies to address them. The draft will be released this summer, and the April 28 workshop is one way to ensure your voice is heard! At this workshop, a draft vulnerability assessment for the Coastside will be shared, which will help the City evaluate how susceptible our community and environment are to the impacts of a changing climate in order to inform adaptation strategies, prioritize resources, support policy and decision-making, and reduce economic losses.

May

Coastside Gives Day - Please do!

Date: All of April -> May 1 "Coastside Gives Day"

Time: Until 12 Midnight on May 1

Location: Online https://www.coastsidegives.org/organization/Coastsidecert

Power Hour: 3:00-4:00 PM May 1 - Help us win a $1,000 prize by being the organization with the most unique donations (from different email addresses) during that hour. 

Coastside CERT is focused on creating ready and resilient neighborhoods from Montara to Tunitas Creek. We provide free training to prepare residents to save themselves and their families, help neighbors with emergency needs, and quickly and accurately communicate with first responder agencies. This training is offered at no cost to those living on the Coast in English, Spanish and Chinese.

This is our one-time ask for community donations each year. We do not charge for classes or materials to provide everyone with equal access to emergency preparedness and response training.  Please help us continue to expand this important volunteer service mission for the Coastside community free of charge.

Ham Radio Technician Exam Prep Course - 2 days

Date: Saturdays, May 3rd and 10th

Time: 10:00 - 5:00

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main Street, Half Moon Bay

This 2-day course is offered by the Half Moon Bay Amateur Radio Club (HMBARC) and SC4ARC. It will teach you how to use a ham radio and what you need to know to pass Technician-level ham radio FCC licensing exam. The exam will take place two weeks later.

Members from the Half Moon Bay and SC4 Amateur Radio clubs are hosting this free two-day Technician Licensing Class. 

Please email licensing@hmbarc.org if you have questions or wish to register for the Technician Licensing classes, or see www.hmbarc.org for more info.

Hood2Hood Neighborhood Leads Zoom Meeting

Date: Monday, May 12

Time: 7:00 PM

Location: Zoom link will be sent to all those who sign up. 

Ocean Safety Fair

Date: Saturday, May 17

Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: Pillar Point Harbor

Ocean Awareness, Boating Safety and Beach Condition Education

“Know Before You GO”

Learn Ocean Conditional Awareness from professionals:

Pillar Point Harbor Patrol, Coastside Fire, State Park Lifeguards, Mavericks Volunteer Water Patrol, San Mateo County Parks, San Mateo County Sheriffs, Half Moon Bay Yacht Club, Half Moon Bay Kayak, The Arunay Foundation and Others

Hourly Ocean Safety and Rescue Demonstrations

Life Jacket Prize Giveaways

Family Friendly Event with Youth and Children Encouraged.

Ham Radio Technician Licensing Exam

Date: Saturday, May 24th

Time: 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St.,

The Half Moon Bay and SC4 Amateur Radio Clubs are hosting an in-person FCC Licensing Exam on Saturday, May 24,

2025 from 10 AM until 1 PM in the HMB Fire Station. All license class exams will be offered. You do not have to attend the Licensing Classes on May 3 & 10. However, you must register for the exam by May 10th at: https://hamstudy.org/sessions/6796cc00fd41ad180bc7cb73/1

Once licensed, amateur (“ham”) radio allows you to communicate over long distances without relying on the internet or the cell phone network. It’s great for emergencies, outdoor communications, fun, and experimentation!

Advanced CERT Training (ACT): Neighborhood Command Post ("NCP") - Setup and Practice

Date: Saturday, May 31st

Time: 8:00–12:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB & Reservation Link (coming soon)

This ACT will focus on the set-up and function of a Neighborhood Command Post which will be used in active CERT neighborhoods after a major disaster. We will also use this refresher class to help you prepare yourself and your neighborhood for active participation in the 6th Annual Coastside Great ShakeOut on September 27.

Our instructors will outline the processes for setting up, staffing, and operating an NCP. You will also get lots of practice actually setting up an NCP, including getting your neighborhood FRS network and your Ham station up and running, and practicing the roles of scribes, runners, and the Neighborhood Incident Commander (“NIC”). Then there will be plenty of hands-on practice with instructors and mentors available to help you one-on-one. Remember, you may be the first CERT at your rally point and will need to know how to get things going, even if someone more qualified ultimately takes over as your NIC. This class will help further build the muscle memory necessary to respond to an earthquake or other disaster in your neighborhood.

June

Advanced CERT Training (ACT) - Field Team Operations

Date: Saturday, June 21st

Time: 8:00–12:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

This ACT will build on concepts from the May NCP class. Here we will focus on the “field team” component of the ICS structure. The class will use activities such as Damage Assessments and/or Search and Rescue activities to emphasize how field teams are built, the duties of the field team leader, communications, documentation and operations. It will further explore what a field team can and should handle, and what it should not.

This class will be a great refresher and will also cover one of the key components you and your neighborhood may use in your participation in the 6th Annual Coastside Great ShakeOut on September 27.

July

CERT Refresher - Advanced CERT Training

Date: Saturday, July 26th

Time: 8:00–1:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

August

San Mateo County Emergency Preparedness Fair

Date: Saturday, August 2nd

Time: 10:00–2:00 PM

Location: San Mateo County Events Center

Spanish CERT Basic Training Academy Schedule

Dates: Wednesday, August 13; Saturday, August 16; Wednesday, August 27; Saturday, August 30.

Time: Two Wednesday evenings 6:30–9:00 PM + Two Saturdays 9:00–4:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Format: 3 classes + Training Day & Graduation. 

• Attendance: Required at all 4 sessions to graduate.

• Eligibility: Open to everyone 18+; 14-17 yrs. with parent/guardian written permission. All classes will be taught in Spanish by native Spanish speakers.

Questions? Please email coastsidecert@gmail.com 

Spanish CERT Class #1

Date: Wednesday, August 13th

Time: 6:30–9:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Disaster Preparedness

• Surviving Local Hazards 

• CERT Organization (ICS) 

• Intro to Radio Comms

Spanish CERT Class #2 

Date: Saturday, August 16th

Time: 9:00–4:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Disaster Medical Operations I

• Triage

• Disaster Medical Ops II

• Fire Safety & Utility Controls 

Spanish CERT Class #3 

Date: Wednesday, August 27th

Time: 6:30–9:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Disaster Psychology & Mental Health

• Terrorism & CERT

• Light Search & Rescue

Spanish CERT Training Day & Graduation 

Date: Saturday, August 30th

Time: 9:00–4:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Orientation

• Hands-On Skills Training

• Disaster Simulation

• Graduation

September

6th Annual Coastside Great ShakeOut 

Date: Saturday, September 27th

Time: 8:00–12:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40 / Coastside Neighborhoods and other agency’s venues

Coastside CERT would be honored to have all residents of our CERT Neighborhoods participate in the 6th Annual Coastside Great ShakeOut Earthquake Education and Communications Exercise. This is the only Coastside-wide earthquake drill and radio exercise. Allied agencies welcome!

The Coastside Great ShakeOut Communications Exercise will be on Saturday, September 27th starting at 8:00 am and ending around 11:30 or Noon. Each active CERT neighborhood will have an opportunity to practice vital skills that will be needed in the event of a major earthquake or other disaster. Look forward to great ways to connect and learn as a community. Many neighborhoods will have family-friendly aspects to their exercise activities. Look for more information in early September directly from your Neighborhood Leads. 

For questions or to express interest in participating please contact your own Neighborhood Leads (see contact info under the “Neighborhoods - Get Involved” tab above), Coastside CERT at coastsidecert@gmail.com, or Jenny at fcprepared@gmail.com.

October

Pumpkin Festival

Date: Saturday, October 18th - Sunday, October 19th

Time: All-Day

Location: Downtown HMB

This is not CERT's party, of course, but we do encourage our membership to volunteer to support their favorite local nonprofits.

November

Fall CERT In-Person Basic Training Academy Schedule

Dates: Wednesday, November 5; Saturday, November 8; Wednesday, November 12; Saturday, November 15.

Time: Two Wednesday evenings 6:30–9:00 PM + Two Saturdays 9:00–4:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Format: 3 classes + Training Day & Graduation. 

• Attendance: Required at all 4 sessions to graduate.

• Eligibility: Open to everyone 18+; 14-17 yrs. with parent/guardian written permission 

Questions? Please email coastsidecert@gmail.com 

Fall CERT In-Person Class #1

Date: Wednesday, November 5th

Time: 6:30–9:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Disaster Preparedness

• Surviving Local Hazards 

• CERT Organization (ICS) 

• Intro to Radio Comms

Fall CERT In-Person Class #2 

Date: Saturday, November 8th

Time: 9:00–4:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Disaster Medical Operations I

• Triage

• Disaster Medical Ops II

• Fire Safety & Utility Controls 

Fall CERT In-person Class #3 

Date: Wednesday, November 12th

Time: 6:30–9:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Disaster Psychology

• Terrorism & CERT

• Light Search & Rescue

Fall CERT Training Day & Graduation 

Date: Saturday, November 15th

Time: 9:00–4:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Orientation

• Hands-On Skills Training

• Disaster Simulation

• Graduation

November 27th - Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

December

Holiday break! 🎁 - no training or meetings except events organized by neighborhoods. 

Montara 

• Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Network practice. First Tuesday of Every Month, 7:00 p.m. Channel 22.

• Scheduling Evacuation Drill

Moss Beach

Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Network practice. Fourth Tuesday of Every Month, 7:00 p.m. Channel 10.

El Granada 

• EG Prepared: Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Net Practice.  Weekly on Tuesdays.  6:30 p.m. on Channel 21.

• El Granada Community Preparedness Meeting, 1st Wednesday of each Month, 6:30 p.m. at EG Fire Station 41 

  • Mar 5: Tsunami Briefing from David Cosgrave, DEM

  • Feb 5: Master Gardeners Presentation - Defensible Space

East Miramar

• Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Net Practice.  First and Third Monday of every Month.  7:00 p.m. (1900) on Channel 6.

Frenchman’s Creek  

• FCPrepared:  Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Net Practice.  Third Monday of each Month.  7:00 p.m. (1900 local) on Channel 8.

Kehoe/Casa del Mar

Highland Park

Alsace Lorraine 

• Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Network practice. Second and Fourth Monday of Every Month, 7:00 p.m. Channel 22.

Ocean Colony

• February 2 Neighborhood Meeting with Chief Cosgrave and Battalion Chief Anderson. Cañada Cove and Ocean Corner were invited. 

Cañada Cove

• Walkie Talkie Radio Communications Network practice. 

• February 1 Neighborhood Meeting with Chief Cosgrave

Moonridge

• March 6 Neighborhood Meeting with Chief Cosgrave

2025

January

Neighborhood Leadership Forum Advanced CERT Training (ACT)*

Date: Saturday, January 25th

Time: Set-up and Sign-in: 8:00 am to 8:30 am

• CLASS: 8:30 am to 11:30 am

• Q&A/Re-set venue: 11:30 am to Noon

Location: 1191 Main Street Half Moon Bay

Coastside Fire Protection District Fire Station 40

Everyone with an interest in organizing their neighborhoods is invited. *Even though it is an ACT for most of us, non-CERTs who are involved or interested in neighborhood leadership are encouraged to attend. We will answer your questions and welcome your shared lessons learned from trying to organize your own neighborhoods.

Please use this LINK to sign up for the class! Each participant must register separately.

• Overview of CERT, neighborhood organization, map review, discussion of rally points, and support for organized neighborhoods. 

• Neighborhood Communications/Emergency Communications.

• Data Managers: CERT roster, privacy policy, neighborhood rosters and mailing lists.

• Trials/Tribulations and Success Stories from organized neighborhoods.

• Questions/Answers/Support Requests.

• Discussion of appropriate Tsunami responses.

• Break-out sessions to include: Ham radio information, forms/organization, tips on recruitment, etc. 

• If you have questions or a topic you want to be sure we cover, drop it onto the sign-up form at the link below.

• Registration will close on Thursday, January 23rd.

Half Moon Bay High School Winter Real Life Learning Service Jam

Date: Thursday, January 30, 2025

Time: 11:45–12:25 PM

Location: HMBHS Auditorium

CERT Karen Hoffman organizes this event twice a year to sign up HMBHS students with local agencies and nonprofits for real life learning opportunities and to earn their 35 community service hours credits required for graduation. Coastside CERT is hosting a table at the event and will reserve spaces for HMBHS students in Spring CERT. This is Coastside's version of TEEN CERT. 

Interested HMBHS students should check in with Karen and register for in-person Spring CERT Basic Training Academy at coastsidecert.com/training. Please add that you are a HMBHS student in the "other" section of the Google signup form.

February

Portable Fire Extinguisher Training Single Skills Educate the Coastside Event

Date: Saturday, February 22nd

Time: 7:45–10:30 AM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

Please call Senior Coastsiders at 650-726-9056 to request enrollment.  

March

Spring CERT Instructional Q&A Zoom for Online Candidates

Date: March 12, 2025

Time: 6:30–8:30 PM

Location: A Zoom link will be sent to qualified students. 

An Instructional Q&A Zoom led by Lead Instructor David Cosgrave to localize FEMA curriculum for Spring CERT online students who have completed the 10 online modules.

Spring CERT In-Person Basic Training Academy

Dates: Wednesday, March 19, Saturday, March 22, Wednesday, March 26, and Saturday, March 29

Time: Two Wednesday evenings 6:30–9:00 PM + Two Saturdays 9:00–4:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Format: 3 classes + Training Day & Graduation. 

• Attendance: Required at all 4 sessions to graduate.

• Eligibility: Open to everyone 18+; 14-17 yrs. with written permission of parent/guardian. 

Questions? Please email coastsidecert@gmail.com 

Spring CERT In-Person Class #1

Date: Wednesday, March 19th

Time: 6:30–9:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Disaster Preparedness

• Surviving Local Hazards 

• CERT Organization (ICS) 

• Intro to Radio Comms

Spring CERT In-Person Class #2 

Date: Saturday, March 22nd

Time: 9:00–4:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Disaster Medical Operations I

• Triage

• Disaster Medical Ops II

• Light Search & Rescue

Spring CERT In-person Class #3 

Date: Wednesday, March 26th

Time: 6:30–9:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Disaster Psychology

• Terrorism & CERT

• Fire Safety & Utility Controls 

Spring CERT Training Day & Graduation 

Date: Saturday, March 29th

Time: 9:00–4:00 PM

Location: Coastside Fire Station 40, 1191 Main St., HMB

• Orientation

• Hands-On Skills Training

• Disaster Simulation

• Graduation

Nonprofit Day on the Coast

Date: Saturday, April 5

Time: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Location: Ted Adcock Community Center, 535 Kelly Ave., Half Moon Bay 

This inaugural event, organized by the City of Half Moon Bay, is where local nonprofits come together to showcase their impactful work in the community. This year's theme, We All Belong, highlights the vital importance of inclusion, connection, and creating a safe space for all. 

Everyone is invited to visit tables hosted by Coastside nonprofits. Learn more about each organization and their work to support youth, seniors, arts and the creative community, individuals with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, and emergency preparedness & response. We look forward to having you join us to create a stronger, more connected community. 

How will your donations be used?

Your donations are vital to our mission as we amplify our outreach
to serve more residents of the larger Coastside community

• Free disaster preparedness & response training - basic training, ongoing refresher opportunities, and advanced CERT training classes in English, Spanish, and Chinese.

• Communications infrastructure to send timely local safety messages, webinars, videos, tutorials, and Chief David Cosgrave's Newsletters.

• Critical practice drills & mutual aid activations with other emergency response agencies, as during the CZU fires & burn scar debris flow evacuations and CERT volunteers who continuously staffed HMB COVID testing sites from June 2020 -June 2021. 

• Preparedness & response equipment. 

• Growth of neighbor helping neighbor networks in every local neighborhood as they work together to strengthen communication and resilience.

VIDEOS
To check out our CERT videos on our VIMEO channel, click here.