CERT DISASTER TRAINING SUMMARY ~ 3/5/12 ~~ DAY No. 1

If you would like more details, 

please see My 2/27/12 posting on this blog, entitled, 

"Urgent!!! CERT Class Schedule Up-Date" 

A.  Definition:  CERT = COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM  

B.  Purpose

• To help you to better visualize what CERT training is like (fascinating and so practical), by giving a glimpse into the first session, just conducted, this Monday, past.
• To show how and why first-reponders rely, so heavily, on qualified volunteerism.
• To help you see the high training quality so you can better understand how VITAL a public service CERT truly is, and how seriously it is taken, within every state – and how absolutely no time was wasted.

It was noted that there are IMPORTANT jobs for CERT members, of ALL AGES and PHYSICAL CONDITIONS

 Those who can't handle strenuous physical work can help with the various administrative tasks -- so crucial in insuring smooth and efficient cooperation -- with professional and volunteer emergency forces.

C.  Scope of this report  Summarizes the first 75% of the entire class-period.   

E.  Limitations

• This report is based on my rough notes, hastily written, strictly to give a general “feel.”  Could have some errors due to “mis-hearing” or inability to read some of my scrawl or faulty memory.
• Stopped taking notes toward the end, as this class was mainly an overview to show what the coming weeks will be like, and ground was covered fast, but well.  Had to give up (tired writing-hand).

 

F.  Class Setting and Duration

• Location:  “Delta Hawaii” Mobile Home Park, 875 Stoneman Avenue, a few blocks east of Harbor Street, Pittsburg
• City-wide Reputation of Delta Hawaii:  Extremely high, famous – very active, internally and highly committed, for years, to public-service, externally.   Supremely organized and focused "neighborhood of neighborhoods."  Residents very involved in doing good for themselves and City.  Obviously well managed, managers, Will and Cindi WIlliams.  Well done, again, super-citizens all and thank you!
• Building:  Large, comfortable meeting hall in attractive multi-purpose office facility
• Parking: More-than-ample parking near building, with over-flow less than one block away, on-street, but not needed for even an event as large as this was.
• Duration:  Blazingly-fast +2.5 hours
• Attendance: Approx 60
• Class Attitudes:  VERY READY TO LEARN:  Cheerful; serious -- fully appreciated reasons for being there; attentive; participative; enthusiastic; appreciative of instruction quality; relaxed; eyes wide-open (despite long work days prior), nice and friendly -- we're going to be working together for a long time and this was a fantastic start.

G.  Comfort

• Food:  Huge selection of goodies -- variety of muffins, cookies, munchies.
• Beverage:  Delicious Coffee (caffeine and non-) and bottled water (not sure about sodas)
• Future snacks:  Class was divided into four numbered groups, each will have a turn in providing snacks, for their assigned week number.  First and final weeks, "on the house," so to speak, with pizza, etc. during the closing celebration.
• Tables: 8-to-10 person, utility type, approximately 10 total -- much surrounding space remaining.  Comfortable seating.
• VIsibility and Audibility:  No problem seeing projector screen or hearing presentation
• Questions:  Allowed; answered thoroughly, but minimized, due to amount of material to be covered

H.  Organization

• Leader:  Community Advisory Commissioner Theresa Miller; highly-respected Community leader and volunteer, for years; has perfected putting on these events; very involved in promoting CERT at events such as Seafood Festival, etc.; and awesome behind-the-scenes workload.  Thanks so much, Theresa, for another masterful job.
• Staff:  Volunteer advanced CERT-qualified-instructors; Representative Scott for Dow Chemical; First-responders, including EMT, Carole Dooley; not sure of the rest, yet.
• Quality of Instruction:  Superb, professional, polished, logical, clear, effective, stimulating, high readiness to teach; good voices, enthusiasm, gestures and attitudes

I.  Training Purposes, Priorities and Scope

• Goal:  Fast overview of CERT philosophy and procedures; deeper coverage in subsequent weeks
• Documents: only essential administrative stuff this week, manual to be permanently provided to students, next week
• Thoroughly explored at least 18 types of disasters to anticipate and prepare for
• Attendance:  Students, very sensibly, must attend every class in order to certify

J.  General “Lesson” Sequence

1. Completion of Forms:  4 or 5 forms – legal and liability requirements; I.D. cards certifying qualifications and authorization to help with disaster responses (issued on completion of training).
2. Publication Hand-out:  USGS magazine: "Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country"
3. Introduction and supplementary info, throughout, by Commissioner Miller
4. SWEARING IN:  All new members took the standard oath to protect and defend the US and California Constitutions -- right hands raised.
5. The general meaning, nature and approach to disasters, at all gov’t levels
6. Dow Chemical presentation: describing careful security processes; general disaster psychology and personal protection concepts; over-arching internal Dow goal: Zero hazardous releases, systematically assured and totally effective, thus far.
   
7. More by other presenters:  but I had lost control of my notes as I became totally immersed in my fascination with the whole thing.

K.  Special “team-building” exercise

• Scenario:  Imagine Large apartment complex, with busy swimming pool, lots of people around == then earthquake hits
• Task:  What do we think we should do before, during, and after the event?
• Class divided into four temporary groups:  to discuss one phase, each.  Leader and secretary were selected by group members; then group brainstorming and note taking for 10 minutes or so; then leaders reported groups' ideas to class -- where more ideas surfaced; instructors then threw out even more “food for thought.”

L.  Some of the Key Points Covered

1. CERT members must FIRST secure own survival and family situation – can’t be effective and focused, if hurt or worried about other concerns
2. OVERRIDING CERT PRINCIPLE – “the greatest good for the greatest number of people”  Lessen the terrible effects of disasters on victims and infrastructure.
3. INEVITABILITY - Disasters are always happening somewhere in California and beyond
4. GENERAL INTENDED SCOPE OF TRAINING: All sorts of techniques – firefighting; search and rescue and recovery; trapped victims; much more.
5. COUNTY ALERT SYSTEM:  Siren sounds at 11:00 am, first Wednesday of every month – all other times are “for real.”  [Sensitize self to hear it, no matter what.]
6. PROFESSIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS:  Likely to be  severely overwhelmed and in need of well-trained CERT assistance.
7. BASIC  EQUIPMENT: PROVIDED UPON CERTIFICATION: Basic emergency kit includes: helmets, bright vests, knap sack to keep things instantly ready; etc. – details at later class
8. PERSONAL EQUIPMENT: PROVIDED BY EACH MEMBER -- Scarce funds preclude government purchase here– member support needed to supply self, reasonably. Includes: (thoroughness, strongly-urged) emergency equipment for homes, cars, work place, etc; and sensible supplementary equipment guidelines.
9. CRUCIAL COMMUNICATION PRECAUTIONS: (1) RADIOS: Each member MUST keep a reliable emergency RADIO handy, to stay informed, by public broadcast, on fast-changing developments -- anyone is virtually powerless, if link to larger world is broken. (2) FAMILY-COMMUNICATION PRECAUTION:  Because communications maybe disrupted (but out-of-state cell phone service may still be available), arrange for an out-of-state contact, so separated family members can still communicate with one another, through distant helpful coordination support.
10. OTHER IMPACTS OF DISASTERS ON DAILY LIFE:  Loss of utilities, like water, electrical power (No computers? No Google?? YIKES!), gas hazards, damage to property and infrastructure (roads, bridges, homes, etc); creation of traffic jams to delay emergency responses AND re-union of scattered families; telephone, radio and TV; loss of home-access (permanent or temporary); RUINATION OF LIFE; and more.
11. TYPES OF TERROR / TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS (“CBRNE”) COVERED:

• Chemical
• Biological
• Radiological
• Nuclear
• High-Yield Explosives (non-nuclear)

M.  Other Key Points (until my note-taking ended, then reliance only on my recollections):

1. Public institutions and responsibilities:  Federal, State, County, Local, [neighborhoods, and every able citizen].
2. Community Leaders:  all morally responsible to be trained and to promote the same, widely.  Need to involve WHOLE community.
3. Organized neighborhoods:  Crucial to insure best responses
4. Emergency kits: for home, cars, pets, work-place
5. Some Necessary Protective CERT equipment: helmet, googles, N96 mask, sturdy shoes – and more
6. Emergency Food Management at home: Refresh emergency food and water supply:  every 3 months, then recycle or consume replaced items; Write expiration date on all food packages; Choose only food you enjoy and will want to eat – for morale and energy; Precaution:  have enough to survive 7 days without resupply; Water: absolutely essential to have plenty – death from water deprivation will happen long before starvation will kill.
7. Police Service Availability and Response: Will be limited or virtually non-existent -- for up to a week.  I image National Guard will supplement then, if not before, if needed; but full police restoration likely within 7 days.
8. Dow Chemical Corporation (local): One of best safety records in entire industry; Produces fertilizer for California agriculture along nearby Great Valley; Absolutely no Ammonium Nitrate on the facilities; Constantly engaged in capital improvements to keep pace with advancing “state of the art” in safety and security;  Dow's Alert system: one speaker pointed at river, for boaters; one speaker pointed at nearby community; internal Klaxons for employees
9. Terrorism – in depth discussion
10. Disaster Psychology: How do people react during disaster? What are their psychological needs?  What to do to help people, psychologically?
11. Missing Person Searches:  CERT often provides human-power to help with police searches.  [I don't think this was said, but I presume CERT provides a ready human-power pool for other events that over-tax emergency-force capacity -- but that's just my speculation, for now]

N.  Other Interesting Tips and Information

• Size of Current Pittsburg CERT-staff: 
  270 volunteers for 60,000 of us
  --- that's 4-thousandth of  1% of us
  --- that's 1 person out of 222.
  --- obviously, "we're gonna need a bigger boat."
• Consider giving emergency kits for Holiday Season
• Have a buddy-system with at least one other person
• Disaster will delay government service response:  Consider normal congestion on Highway 4 -- so, imagine what it would be like during disasters; few alternatives to the State highways; need to allow for this, as possible -- think ahead.
• Interpreting Richter Scale
• And more -- to be learned in subsequent week and reinforced by practical training demonstrations and exercises.

O.  Next week:   FIRE SUPPRESSION 

P.  Future Summaries:  Not sure I can keep this up, but I'll try..

Q.  Overall Personal Impressions:  

• Total Quality:  Extraordinary!  I can hardly wait for next and subsequent weeks – immensely important work, extremely well-done – much to know – periodic practice exercises, throughout the year, are vital for keeping knowledge fresh -- and to deepen relationships and coordination among fellow team members.  Not a second was wasted – brilliantly planned and conducted.  Not even close to being disappointed about a single thing.
• Only two TINY suggestions for possible improvement:  (1) I wish we had been issued lesson hand-outs to allow us to follow along during each presentation -- and to remember, long after --  I also think such pages could have reduced inefficiencies and bequeathed  to us, quality notes, long worth keeping -- while allowing us to better focus on listening rather than writing.  But, that's presuming Training Staff has the manpower and time to deal with this, when so many other things need doing.  A small price for us to pay for their great, good deeds.
  (2)  Name tags are such a blessing at things like this and help speed up the "getting-acquainted" process.  But, presumably, these incur cost and must compete with alternative uses for scarce funds.   Besides, this is merely a trivial polishing of perfection.

Respectfully submitted,
David Nelson

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