Responding to disasters with CERT trained volunteers
Abstract
Emergency services may not be able to meet overwhelming immediate needs during a disaster. Experience has shown that untrained people who voluntarily help others in these crisis situations oftentimes harm themselves. AmeriCorps members in Dane County, Wisconsin undergo basic Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training to prepare for disasters in their community and beyond. The main focus is on preventing volunteers from endangering themselves when aiding victims and assisting emergency service providers in disaster situations. This information is excerpted from the Service Sentinel, Volume 3, Issue Number 1, Spring 2003, published by the Wisconsin National and Community Service Board.Issue
In disaster situations, it is important that volunteers do not endanger themselves while trying to give assistance and that their efforts are truly helpful to emergency service providers.Action
Effective practices in disaster training and mitigation include the following:- AmeriCorps members serving with Operation Fresh Start (OFS) in Dane County, Wisconsin are trained as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) responders.
- OFS AmeriCorps members also receive additional training in CPR/first aid.
- CERT training begins with an overview of how people can respond to emergencies and then moves onto specialized training in topics such as light search and rescue operations, damage assessment, and fire suppression.
- The basic CERT program consists of 16 hours usually delivered in 2 1/2 hour sessions, and is available from the Emergency Management Institute to those requesting the skills necessary to be part of emergency preparedness and response. The training consists of the following:
Session I: Disaster Preparedness
Addresses hazards to which people are vulnerable in their community. Materials cover actions that participants and their families take before, during, and after a disaster. As the session progresses, the instructor begins to explore an expanded response role for civilians in that they should begin to consider themselves disaster workers. Since they will want to help their family members and neighbors, this training can enable them to operate in a safe and appropriate manner. The CERT concept and organization are discussed as well as applicable laws governing volunteers in that jurisdiction.
Session II: Disaster Fire Suppression
Briefly covers fire chemistry, hazardous materials, fire hazards, and fire suppression strategies. However, the main focus of this session is the safe use of fire extinguishers, sizing up the situation, controlling utilities, and extinguishing a small fire.
Session III: Disaster Medical Operations (Part I)
Participants practice diagnosing and treating airway obstruction, bleeding, and shock by using simple triage and rapid treatment techniques.
Session IV: Disaster Medical Operations (Part II)
Covers evaluating patients by doing a head to toe assessment, establishing a medical treatment area, performing basic first aid, and practicing in a safe and sanitary manner.
Session V: Light Search and Rescue Operations
Participants learn about search and rescue planning, size-up, search techniques, rescue techniques, and most important, rescuer safety.
Session VI: Disaster Psychology and Team Organization
Covers signs and symptoms that might be experienced by the disaster victim and worker. It addresses CERT organization and management principles and the need for documentation.
Session VII: Course Review and Disaster Simulation
Participants review their answers from a take home examination. Finally, they practice the skills that they have learned during the previous six sessions in disaster activity.
After the training, members are able to respond to emergencies in Dane County and elsewhere in the state.
Context
A non-profit 501(c)3 organization, Operation Fresh Start has provided comprehensive employment and training services to 6,000 youth and adults in Dane County, Wisconsin, since 1970. The organization's chief training approach is to renovate or construct single-family houses for sale to low and very-low income first-time homebuyers. One hundred and fifty houses have been completed to date. The housing sites are the vehicles for employment training and are at the center of a comprehensive program of educational and support services. Instruction in basic skills and preparation for the high school equivalency examination, instruction in independent living skills, leadership development, counseling, pre-employment skills training, placement in a job or post-secondary education, and supportive follow-up are vital components of the program.
Operation Fresh Start (OFS) primarily serves low-income, at-risk individuals, ages 16-24, many of whom have not completed high school. Young people are expected to make a commitment of at least 900 hours toward accomplishing the above goals. OFS is a Youthbuild/AmeriCorps program, allowing participants to receive a living allowance during their term of service and an educational award for post-secondary education upon successful completion of 900 hours ($2,365) or 1,700 hours ($4,725) of service in the program.
Outcome
The CERT course enables individuals to be better prepared to respond to and cope with the aftermath of a disaster. Additionally, if a community wants to supplement its response capability after a disaster, civilians can be recruited and trained as neighborhood, business, and government teams that, in essence, will be auxiliary responders. These groups can provide immediate assistance to victims in their area, organize spontaneous volunteers who have not had the training, and collect disaster intelligence that will assist professional responders with prioritization and allocation of resources following a disaster.
Through training, citizens can manage utilities and put out small fires; treat airway obstruction, control bleeding, and shock in victims; provide basic medical aid; search for and rescue victims safely; and organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective.
Evidence
The Community Emergency Response Team concept was developed and implemented by the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD) in 1985. The Whittier Narrows earthquake in 1987 underscored the area-wide threat of a major disaster in California. Further, it confirmed the need for training civilians to meet their immediate needs. As a result, the LAFD created the Disaster Preparedness Division with the purpose of training citizens and private and government employees.
The training program that LAFD initiated makes good sense and furthers the process of citizens understanding their responsibility in preparing for disaster. It also increases their ability to safely help themselves, their family and their neighbors. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognizes the importance of preparing citizens. The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) and the National Fire Academy adopted and expanded the CERT materials believing them applicable to all hazards.
Posted On
August 21, 2003For More Information
Resources
For more information on CERT training, including how to start a CERT program, visit the Citizen Corps websitehttps://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/
Related Practices
Related sites
Federal Emergency Management Agency