Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program
Charles
(304) 728-3329 Phone
(304) 725-7916 Fax
Summary
Jefferson County Office of
Homeland Security operates the CERT Program for the Jefferson County
Commission. Jefferson County Office of
Homeland Security is a disaster preparedness and mitigation education program
that serves
Participation in the CERT
Program will further empower area residents in the event of emergencies and
natural or human-caused disasters by providing basic skills in disaster preparedness
and mitigation, fire and life safety, terrorism and crime prevention, disaster
medical operations, planning for people with special needs, planning for
animals in disaster, disaster mental health, light search and rescue and
incident command to help them to protect their families and neighbors. The CERT Program in
Jefferson County CERT will
address the actual hazards that make our region vulnerable, recognize the
character and make-up of our communities and instill a sense of empowerment
within our students.
Components of Jefferson County
CERT
There are five major
components of the Jefferson County CERT Program
- CERT Train The Trainer Course
- CERT Basic Training Course
- CERT II Course
- Team Participating Activities
- Volunteer Opportunities
CERT Train the Trainer Course
The CERT Train the Trainer
Course will be offered locally, as needed.
The Coordinator for the Jefferson County Office of Homeland Security
completed the Train the Trainer Course at
All Jefferson County CERT
Course offerings will be taught by a trainer who is a professional in the
specific field that is being taught in each class. The lead-instructor will be
assisted by other instructor team members.
Each instructor will assist with recruitment of students, train
participants, gather and provide instructional materials to students and be
responsible to take these supplies back up after each class.
CERT Training Course
The CERT Training Course
is the backbone of the CERT Program. It
consists of BASIC skills training in disaster preparedness and mitigation,
special needs groups, animals in disaster, fire and life safety, terrorism and
crime prevention. The class will consist
of a two and one-half hour class one night or day per week for eight weeks and
a final exercise at the end of the course.
All students must complete all eight sections of the course in order to
be eligible for a Certificate of Completion at the end of the course. If a student misses a session, they will have
to wait until the next round of classes to obtain the missed class and to
obtain their certificate.
Team Participating Activities
CERTs in all communities
are as different as the communities that they serve. Some are major metro teams that work together
and are actually “deployed” by 9-1-1 in emergencies. Smaller communities have rural “teams” that
use their training only to assist when their small community is cut off from
the rest of civilization. Each community
has been encouraged to use their CERT Program to best fit the needs of their
community.
Monthly Electronic Newsletters
All CERT members will also
be members of the larger organization, Jefferson County Office of Homeland
Security Partners. These partners
receive a monthly electronic newsletter detailing additional educational and
training opportunities being offered throughout the Region. Local responder groups will be encouraged to
put information into the newsletter when they are needing
volunteers for various events and/or fundraisers, information about other
committees that they may be interested in becoming a part of, relevant websites
and resource information, etc.
CERT Refresher Training
All CERT members will have
the opportunity to interact with other volunteers at quarterly CERT meetings to
provide “refresher training” and education on a variety of emergency management
and planning topics. These meetings will
give CERT volunteers the chance to meet face-to-face, ask questions, raise
concerns, and to network.
Volunteer Opportunities
As students finish the
CERT program, their information will be placed in a data base of volunteers
that will be made available to the Emergency Responder community. Volunteer duties may include both disaster or
emergency duties and Non-emergency duties.
During a disaster, CERT members may provide volunteer services such as
using their four-wheel drive vehicle to drive patients to dialysis during a
winter storm, removing debris after a storm, or shoveling the snow off of the
walkway of a person with mobility problems after a storm. In non-disaster times, CERT volunteers might
volunteer to help local responders to wash fire trucks, do other maintenance,
assist with fundraising activities, assist with children’s fire safety programs,
helping man a booth during the
NIMS (National Incident Management System)
National Incident
Management System-related training is one of the important elements that local
entities must complete during FY-2006 to become fully compliant with NIMS. Jurisdictions are required to meet the FY06
NIMS requirements as a condition of receiving federal preparedness funding
assistance in FY-2007.
The key points to the NIMS
are: PREPAREDNESS-Planning, Training, Exercising, and tools; RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT-Standards are to the be same
nation-wide. With our resources
identified under the strict guidelines for NIMS, the same resources will be
called the same thing in every jurisdiction in the
NIMS is a dynamic system
and the doctrine and implementation requirements will continue to evolve as our
prevention, preparedness, response and recovery capabilities improve and our
homeland security landscape changes. New
personnel will need NIMS training and NIMS processes will have to be exercised
in future years.
2006 Training
required by NIMS includes:
IS-700 “NIMS, An
Introduction” http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/is700.asp
IS-800 “NRP, An
Introduction” http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/is800.asp
IS-100 “Introduction to
ICS” http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/is100.asp
IS-200 “Basic ICS” http://training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/is200.asp
For some positions, the IS
300 “Intermediate ICS”
And the IS 400 “Advanced
ICS”, will be required training for FY-07.
For more information about
the National Incident Management System, visit http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nims/index.shtm
Session I
Introduction to Disasters
and Disaster Mitigation and Disaster Preparedness
Session II
Fire Safety
Session III
Emergency First Aid I
Session IV
Emergency First Aid II
Session V
Terrorism Preparedness and
Crime Prevention
Session VI
Disaster Psychology,
Special Populations, Animals in Disaster
Session VII
Light Search & Rescue,
Course Review, and CERT Volunteerism
Session VIII Final Exercise and Graduation
All Sessions are Free and for the General Public
Introduction to Disasters and Disaster Mitigation
and Disaster Preparedness
I.
Welcome,
Introductions & Safety Issues!
II.
Tower Exercise
III.
Course Preview
IV.
Recent
Disasters in
V.
Disasters and
Disaster Workers
VI.
Disaster
Threats (
VII.
Impact on the
Infrastructure
VIII.
Hazard
Mitigation
IX.
Home and
Workplace Preparedness
X.
Community
Preparedness
XI.
Protection for
Disaster Workers
XII.
Summary and
Review
XIII.
Preview next
session-Fire Safety
Homework: 1.
Complete Family Disaster Plan and begin to make a Family Disaster Supply Kit. Will report out at next session!
2. Read and familiarize yourself with Unit 2:
Fire Safety
Additional Handouts:
CERT Student Manuel, Buddy
Pledge
Page from Risk Assessment
with Vulnerabilities
FEMA’s ARE YOU READY GUIDE
Local Getting Ready Guide
Local Family Disaster Plan
Step-by-Step Plan
FEMA/RED CROSS Disaster
Supply Kit and Family Preparedness Plan Brochures
Fire Safety
I.
Review of
Previous Session
II.
Introduction
of Instructors
III.
Introductions
and Session Overview
IV.
Fire Chemistry
a.
Fire Triangle
b.
Classes of
fires A-D
V.
Fire
Safety-Reducing Fire Hazards
VI.
Shutting off
Utilities
a.
Electrical
boxes/fuse boxes
b.
Natural gas
hazards
1.
Shutting off
natural gas meters
2.
When NOT to
shut off the natural gas
VII.
Fire
Extinguishers
a.
Types of fire
extinguishers
b.
P.A.S.S.
method for using extinguishers
c.
Fire
Extinguisher practice
VIII.
Fire Video
IX.
Brief Overview
of Fire Suppression Safety Rules
X.
Hazardous
Materials
a.
DOT Placards
b.
Home Safety
with Hazardous Materials
XI.
Summary and
Review
XII.
Preview of Next
Session
Homework: Locate utility shutoffs in home. Check smoke alarm batteries. Make sure fire extinguisher is placed in safe
spot in room.
Additional
Handouts: NFPA Brochures, Emergency
Response Guidebooks
Emergency First Aid I
I.
Review of
Previous Session
II.
Introduction
of Instructors
III.
Introduction
of Session Overview
IV.
Treating
Life-Threatening Conditions
V.
Triage
VI.
Unit Summary
Homework: Read and become familiar with Unit 4.
Additional Handouts:
Emergency First Aid II
I.
Review of
Previous Session
II.
Introduction
of Instructors
III.
Unit Overview
IV.
Public Health
Considerations
V.
Functions of
Disaster Medical Operations
VI.
Establishing
Treatment Areas
VII.
Conducting Head-To-Toe
Assessments
VIII.
Treating Burns
IX.
Wound Care
X.
Treating
Fractures, Dislocations, Sprains, and Strains
XI.
Splinting
XII.
Treating
Hypothermia
XIII.
Nasal Injuries
XIV.
Unit Summary
XV.
Preview of
next session
Homework: Check expiration dates on all first aid
materials at home. Restock if necessary
Additional Handouts:
Terrorism Preparedness and Crime Prevention
I.
Review of
Previous Session
II.
Introduction
of Instructors
III.
Introduction
and Session Overview
IV.
What is
Terrorism?
V.
Terrorist
Targets
VI.
Terrorist
Weapons
VII.
B-NICE
Indicators
VIII.
Preparing at
Home and at Work (Shelter-In-Place, Review of Disaster Kit, Safe Rooms
IX.
Time,
Distance, Shielding/Hot Zones
X.
Criminal
Investigations
XI.
Crime
Prevention
XII.
Street Safety
XIII.
Home Safety
XIV.
Neighborhood
Safety
XV.
Safety for
Special Populations (Kids, Teens, Senior Citizens)
XVI.
Fraud and
Cyber Crimes
XVII.
Summary and
Review
XVIII.
Preview of
next Session
Homework: Inspect home for safety issues.
Additional
Handouts: National Crime Prevention
Council handout-“You’re Inside look at Crime Prevention:;
Crime Dog Handout, Shelter In Place Brochures, Red Cross Terrorism Preparedness
Brochure
Disaster Psychology, Special Populations and
Animals in Disaster
I.
Review of
Previous Session
II.
Introduction
of Instructors
III.
Introduction
and Session Overview
IV.
Disaster
Psychology
V.
Effects of
Disasters on Survivors (Survivors vs. Victims; Emotional and Physiological
Symptoms and Post Traumatic Stress)
VI.
Helping Others
in Disasters
VII.
Disasters and
Special Populations
A.
How the
after-disaster environment affects people with special needs
B.
Disaster
Preparedness for persons with special needs
C.
Personal
support networks
VIII.
Animals in
Disaster
A.
Pets
B.
Large Animals
and Livestock
C.
Wildlife
IX.
Summary and
Review
X.
Preview of
Next Session
Homework: Make adjustments to your disaster kits or any
special needs people who live in your home and for your pets. Create an evacuation plan for your pets.
Additional Handouts:
Red Cross Guide: Disaster
Preparedness for People with Disabilities,
Light
Search & Rescue, Course Review and CERT Volunteerism
I. Review of last session
II. Introduction of Instructors
III. Introduction and Overview
IV. Search and Rescue Sizeup
V. Conduction Search Operations
VI. Conducting Rescue Operations
VII. Course Review
A. Disaster Mitigation & Disaster Preparedness
B. Fire Safety
C. Emergency First Aid
D. Terrorism Preparedness and Crime Prevention
E. Disaster Psychology
F. Special Populations and Animals in Disaster
VIII. CERT Organization & Volunteerism
Homework: Review All Sections of Course
Disaster
Exercise & Presentation of Certificates of Participation
I. Disaster Exercise---Details given at the beginning of class
II. Presentation of Certificates of Participation
III. Where Do We Go From here