Training & Courses
Core lifesaving and preparedness skills for residents, responders, and community partners.
- First Aid / CPR / AED
- Stop the Bleed & TECC
- CERT & disaster psychology
- Youth and school-based safety programs
About
About Disaster Response Services (DRS)
Training minds. Mobilizing technology. Saving lives.
Disaster Response Services (DRS) is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
based in Humboldt County, California. We exist to teach
disaster preparedness, support responders, and bring practical, hands-on training and technology
to communities that are often overlooked or hard to reach.
From neighborhood CERT training and Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) to mobile classrooms,
youth preparedness series, and AI-powered tools, DRS is focused on one mission: making sure more
people know what to do before, during, and after an emergency.
Who we are
DRS was created to bridge the gap between what communities wish they had during a crisis
and what is actually available to them on the ground. We are a small, mission-driven nonprofit
that designs programs, builds tools, and shows up on-scene to support residents, responders,
and partner agencies.
Our work spans classroom training, hands-on skills, field support, technology development, and
media that makes preparedness feel human, accessible, and real — not just another brochure
that gets thrown away.
- Community-focused disaster preparedness education
- Support for rural, tribal, and hard-to-reach communities
- Partnerships with fire agencies, CERT coalitions, and schools
- Development of AI tools that reinforce — not replace — responders
What we do in the real world
DRS brings together training, equipment, and technology into one unified ecosystem:
- Fire & TECC Division: firefighter rehab, TECC training, defensible space outreach, and future off-road support vehicles.
- CERT & Community Preparedness: neighborhood-based CERT training, rural and tribal outreach, and family-level planning.
- Mobile Classroom / Command Trailer: on-site classroom, incident support, studio mode, and accessible interior environment.
- Applied Intelligence Division (A.I.D.): A.I.D.E.N., CERT Companion AI, LMS tools, and geospatial support for responders.
- Youth Preparedness & Media: Paws for Life animated series, school programs, and community storytelling.
Leadership
Brian Brown is the Executive Director and Lead Instructor of
Disaster Response Services (DRS). He also serves as the organization’s official
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program Manager,
working in partnership with the Humboldt County CERT Coalition (HCC) to deliver training and
community preparedness programs.
Brian designs and teaches courses across First Aid/CPR/AED, Stop the Bleed, Wilderness & Remote
First Aid, Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC), disaster psychology, and youth preparedness.
He also leads the design and integration of AI tools, mobile classroom capabilities, and media projects.
DRS is supported by its Board of Directors, volunteers, subject-matter experts, and partner agencies
across Humboldt County and beyond.
How our programs fit together
DRS is built as an ecosystem, not a single class. Each division, program, and tool is designed to
reinforce the others so that training, technology, and field operations stay connected.
Mobile Classroom & Command Trailer
A 20-foot mobile platform that brings the classroom, studio, and command post directly to
communities that need it.
- On-site training for schools and agencies
- Incident support and communications
- Studio mode for podcasts and youth media
- Inclusive, air-scrubbed learning environment
Applied Intelligence & Media
AI tools and storytelling projects that amplify training and help communities visualize what
preparedness really looks like.
- A.I.D.E.N. and CERT Companion AI
- Digital courses and LMS support
- Paws for Life animated preparedness series
- The Command Post podcast and outreach media
How we approach the work
DRS operates on a simple principle: every person, family, and neighborhood deserves access to
practical, realistic training — not just in big cities, but in rural and remote places too.
We build programs that are collaborative, trauma-informed, and respectful of local culture,
leadership, and lived experience.
Our values
- Respect: honoring the people and cultures we serve.
- Clarity: teaching in plain language, not jargon.
- Collaboration: working with, not over, local agencies.
- Care: supporting emotional as well as physical safety.
- Integrity: doing what we say we’ll do, even when it’s hard.
How partners plug in
Agencies, schools, tribes, businesses, and individuals can connect with DRS in many ways:
- Host a training or series
- Collaborate on youth or media projects
- Support equipment, vehicles, or technology
- Co-design outreach for specific communities
If you want to explore a partnership, we’re happy to talk through what makes sense for your
community or agency.
Ready to connect with DRS?
Whether you’re a resident, educator, responder, tribal representative, or potential sponsor, there’s
room for you in this mission. We can design training, outreach, or support plans that match your
community’s real-world needs.