C. E. R. T.

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) Members of the community trained to help neighbors in a disaster. This group in intended for sharing ideas about how to form a team, training, disaster preparedness issues, disaster mitigation & other issues.

What is CERT and why is there a need?

Each year, many communities are rocked by severe weather such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods or flash floods, winter storms, earthquakes, firestorms, volcanoes (etc) or “man-made” disasters.

The damage caused by such disasters effect everyone. Disasters:

* Can severely restrict and overwhelm emergency response resources, communications, transportation and utilities; and
* Can leave neighborhoods and individuals cut off from the outside emergency support.

What if this happens to you?

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) are trained to take care of themselves and then help others in their communities for the first three days following a disaster. This is when debris clogged or damaged roads, disrupted communications or a high volume of calls may prevent access by emergency response personnel. The training covers basic skills that are important to know in a disaster when emergency services are not available. With training and practice and by working as a team, you will be able to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people after a disaster, while protecting yourself from becoming a victim.

What does the course involve?

The CERT Course consists of 24 hours of training. Classes are taught by emergency medical and law enforcement personnel. The course agenda includes: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, DISASTER FIRE SUPPRESSION, DISASTER MEDICAL OPERATIONS, LIGHT SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS, CERT ORGANIZATION, DISASTER PSYCHOLOGY, TERRORISM AND CERT.

Objectives of the course.
* Describe the types of hazards most likely to affect their homes and communities
* Describe the function of CERT and their roles in immediate response.
* Take steps to prepare themselves for a disaster.
* Identify and reduce potential fire hazards in their homes and workplaces.
* Works as a team to apply basic fire suppression strategies, resources, and safety measures to extinguish a burning liquid.
* Apply techniques for opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating shock.
* Conduct triage under simulated conditions.
* Perform head to toe assessments
* Select and set up a treatment area.
* Employ basic treatments for various wounds
* Use planning and size up requirements for potential search and rescue operations.
* Describe the most common techniques for shoring a structure.
* Use safe techniques for debris removal and victim extrication.
* Describe ways to protect rescuers during search and rescue.
* Define terrorism and identify CERT procedures during an incident.

Contact your local Fire or Police Department for a C.E.R.T. training class in your community or contact Citizen Corps