WHAT IS CERT?
A Community Emergency Response Team (C.E.R.T.) is a self-activating group of citizens who care enough about their families, friends, and neighbors to prepare themselves to be self-sufficient during crisis situations.

After Hurricane Andrew, and its accompanying devastation, the Hollywood Fire Department realized the necessity of such a community program and began the process of teaching citizens basic first aid, light fire fighting techniques utilizing portable fire extinguishers, light search and rescue techniques and certified them in CPR. With Fire Department guidance, the Hollywood CERT team grew to over 180 members. These members are divided into ten teams that cover designated geographical areas of the city in the event of any type of disaster. The members are taught to care for themselves and their families before any attempt is made to help their communities and safety is stressed in all aspects of CERT activities.

BACKGROUND:

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.

The CERT course will benefit any citizen who takes it. This individual will 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. Since 1993 when this training was made available nationally by FEMA, communities in 28 States and Puerto Rico have conducted CERT training.

 

STARTING:

Our CERT courses are delivered in the community by our team of first responders who have the requisite knowledge and skills to instruct the sessions. Our instructors have completed CERT Train-the-Trainer (TTT) conducted by the State Training Office for Emergency Management or the Emergency Management Institute in order to learn the training techniques that are used successfully by the LAFD.

The CERT training courses, for our community groups, are usually delivered in 2 1/2 hour sessions, one evening a week, over a 7-week period. CERT trainees must meet the minimum age requirement of 18 years old. The training consists of the following:

Session I, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: Addresses hazards to which people are vulnerable in the community. Materials will cover actions that participants and their families take before, during, and after a disaster. As the session progresses, the instructor will begin to explore an expanded response role for you in that you will begin to consider yourself a disaster worker. Since you will want to help your family members and neighbors, this training can help you operate in a safe and appropriate manner. The CERT concept and organization are discussed as well as applicable laws governing volunteers in our jurisdiction.

Session II, DISASTER FIRE SUPPRESSION: Briefly covers fire chemistry, hazardous materials, fire hazards, and fire suppression strategies. However, the thrust 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: You will 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: You will 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, disaster workers and yourself. It addresses CERT organization and management principles and the need for documentation.

Session VII, COURSE REVIEW AND DISASTER SIMULATION: You will review your answers from a take-home examination. Finally, you will practice the skills that you have learned during the previous six sessions in disaster activity.

During each session you are required to bring safety equipment (gloves, goggles, mask) and disaster supplies (bandages, flashlight, dressings) which will be used during the session. By doing this for each session, you are building a disaster response kit of items that you will need during a disaster.

 

MAINTAINING INVOLVEMENT:

When you have completed this training, it is important to keep yourself involved and practiced in your skills. Our Trainers will offer periodic refresher sessions to reinforce this basic training. Our CERT team may sponsor events such as drills, picnics, neighborhood clean up, and disaster education fairs which will keep you involved and trained.

As a CERT First responder, you will need to be educated about the CERT and your value to the community. Using CERT as a component of the response system when there are exercises for potential disasters can reinforce this idea.

 

CONCLUSION:
CERT is about readiness, people helping people, rescuer safety, and doing the greatest good for the greatest number. CERT is a positive and realistic approach to emergency and disaster situations where citizens will be initially on their own and their actions can make a difference. Through training, you can manage utilities and put out small fires; treat the three killers by opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating for shock; provide basic medical aid; search for and rescue victims safely. Anyone who lives or works in the City of Hollywood is eligible for training with the CERT team. There is no cost associated with the team. Please call the Training Division of the Hollywood Fire Department for more information at (954)967-4341 during normal working hours.