By Lori Suzanne Holetz
“The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) non-profit program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.”
The Los Angeles Fire Department began the CERT program in California after the big earthquake in Mexico where so many civilians went in to help and ultimately caused a high number of additional deaths due to lack of training. After the Loma Prieta earthquake, there was over 5000 911 emergency calls within an hour that overwhelmed the system and left residents to fend for themselves. These recent disasters have demonstrated the dire need for additional first responders when times get serious. Many of our neighborhoods have one or more CERT volunteers that can assist individuals by assessing shock symptoms, arterial bleeding, and things like when and how to shut off gas lines. Advanced training includes use of hand radios in the event of down communications and CPR.
Started and headed up in the San Lorenzo Valley by Kevin Foster, our local CERT trains community volunteers in basic response. We now have over 60 DSW (Disaster Service Worker) badged members, who assist Law Enforcement and Emergency Responders. Most of help is the everyday occurrences of various types, where a CERT individual can step in, assess the situation and create a calm, controlled coordinated effort to assist before additional help can arrive. In addition, CERT helps with winter, summer, fire, gas, electrical emergency preparedness, automobile accidents, deceased individuals, and crime scene assessment.
Guest speakers like representatives from PG&E, are invited to come to meetings and explain what to do about downed power lines, wet conditions and other emergency electrical situations.
In speaking with Mary Edmonds of Santa Cruz County CERT who started up the program; she explained how Monterey County has begun a CERT for teens ages 16+, giving them the basic training, how to safely assess a building before entry, search and rescue, fire suppression, fires they should try to put out and those they should stay away from. At age 16, kids can use their CERT training to satisfy their mandatory community service work through their school. Teens are encouraged with parental permission and are trained in what the fire department learns, just on a more basic civilian scale. This program training can become an invaluable gateway to future career choices in Law, Safety and Emergency Response Services in many respects. Once kids turn 18, they are given full CERT privileges and training on how to use CERT to make our community a safer place.
If you are interested in taking the CERT training, you can go online SantaCruzCounty.org to find out when and where the next training will be held.
Trainings and monthly meetings are held the first Thursday of each month at the Boulder Creek Fire House at 7 pm.
Find more information at https://www.ready.gov/cert