The Association of Campus Emergency Response Teams of Canada (ACERT) is a federally incorporated, charitable organization in place to support, promote and advocate emergency care on Canadian post-secondary campuses.

Working in the fast-growing field of emergency care in Canada, where new campus emergency response teams are developing in every region at a rapid pace, ACERT currently represents 13 university and college teams.

ACERT is a volunteer-based administrative body embracing the goals of facilitating communication and cooperation among member organizations. By existing as an advocate, ACERT fosters ideas and the overall development of existing and potential !!!Campus Emergency Response Teams (CERTs)!!!, while providing support to these organizations.

ACERT member teams all adhere to the minimum standard of care of Standard First Aid and CPR. Several different training standards have been endorsed by ACERT, and member teams use a wide variety of specific training programs. Providing the full spectrum of care, ACERT member teams operate using the basics of standard first aid equipment, all the way up to defibrillation capacity.

ACERT works year-round collecting information, and developing new products for member teams. Among ACERT's initiatives is a quarterly newsletter, titled Rumours, addressing a wide variety of issues relevant to campus emergency response such as disasters, defibrillation, and liability. Supporting existing teams in their every endeavour, ranging from purchasing supplies to team trainings, ACERT is also actively working to encourage new teams to develop. The "Start-a-Team Package" is an ACERT resource in development, intended to provide hopeful teams with the resources they need to succeed in the world of Canadian Campus Emergency Response.

ACERT also works closely with the !!!National Conferences of Campus Emergency Responders (NCCER)!!!, now in its twelfth year. The NCCER is an opportunity for responders to meet, share ideas through seminars, and to engage in a friendly first-aid competition, the winning team of which retains prestige and glory until the next year's battle can be fought again. Find out more at !!!www.acert.ca/Conferencess.!!!

Another major focus for ACERT is the presentation of annual !!!awards!!!. ACERT sponsors major awards such as the "Responder of the Year Award", the "President's List", and the most prestigious: "Team of the Year".

ACERT is administered by a Board of Directors of ten people, consisting of volunteer members of the campus emergency response community. Within the Board of Directors is an elected Executive Committee consisting of a President and two Vice Presidents. Also, each member team elects an ACERT Team Representative to act as the liaison between ACERT and the team.

From coast to coast, ACERT represents teams. A kinship and friendly rivalry exist between teams, and community ties are strong. McMaster University started the trend of campus emergency response teams, and they are now considered the most established team in Canada. Each new team starts a new beginning, and marks new territory. For example, Lakehead University works in the challenging environment of Northern Ontario, displaying remarkable adaptive policies and protocols. The diversity within CERTs in Canada is astounding, and yet the spirit of community and volunteerism is what ties the teams to each other. It is that spirit that will continue to thrive into the new millennium of CERTs.