NATIONAL CERT ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES 2026 NATIONAL CERT AWARD RECIPIENTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                              
Media Contact: Denise School
Marketing & Communications Director
marketing@nationalcert.org

IRVINE, Calif. (July 29, 2026) – The National CERT Association (NCA) today announced the five recipients of the 2026 National CERT Awards, selected from 118 nominations submitted by CERT programs nationwide. The honorees will be recognized Friday, Aug. 28, during the Awards Ceremony Luncheon at the 2026 National CERT Conference, held Aug. 24–29 at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. 

The National CERT Awards recognize volunteers, leaders and programs that demonstrate exceptional service, innovation and dedication to strengthening community preparedness and resilience. Awards are presented in five categories: Program Manager of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Team in Action Award, Community Outreach Program of the Year and the Multicultural Award.

This year’s conference theme, “Stronger Communities Start Here,” celebrates the important role CERT volunteers and programs play in helping communities prepare for emergencies, respond to disasters and build resilience. 

The 2026 National CERT Award recipients are: An NCA awards committee reviewed the nominations and selected one recipient in each category.

“The quality of this year’s 118 nominations demonstrated the extraordinary work CERT volunteers and programs are doing nationwide,” said Anne LeSage, chair of the Awards Committee. “Selecting only one recipient in each category was exceptionally difficult.”

“These honorees represent the innovation, compassion and service that define the CERT community,” said Samantha Royster, president of the National CERT Association. “Their work strengthens local resilience and advances the national preparedness mission. We look forward to recognizing their accomplishments in Irvine.”

Conference registration, the complete agenda and additional event information are available at nationalcert.org. Media representatives interested in attending the Awards Ceremony Luncheon or interviewing an award recipient may contact marketing@nationalcert.org.

High-resolution photographs, recipient biographies and NCA media assets are available upon request. More information about the National CERT Conference can be found on the National CERT Association’s website, https://nationalcert.org. 

About the National CERT Association
The National CERT Association is a DBA of the Fire Services Training Institute, a nonprofit organization. NCA was established on Sept. 12, 2019, by CERT leaders from across the United States in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Its mission is to support and empower trained CERT volunteers in creating resilient communities by sharing best practices and educational resources. 

About the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
The Community Emergency Response Team program (CERT) educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for hazards that may affect their communities. CERT volunteers receive training in basic disaster-response skills, including fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. The program provides a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disasters, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks. CERT is a program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.