Community Preparedness - CERT - MUST READ

[Sally Furniss]

I have been reading Black November by Geoffrey Rice.
It is a detailed book giving a great deal of factual data on the morbidity and mortality of various communities within New Zealand. As well as lots of information on the level of help each community received.

The message that is repeated over and over in the book is that there was a far lower mortality rate in the communities that had the greatest help from their local community. The lower mortality rate relied a great deal on volunteer help within the community.

How can volunteers help in a modern day community assuming a pandemic similar to the 1918 flu?

[Laidback Al]

Re: Lowering the mortality rate in 1918.

What kind of volunteer help in the community had the most effect on lowering fatalities?

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Lowering the mortality rate in 1918.

Cities were divided up into blocks. So that skills and resources were not centralised and could be more easily distributed.

Each day contact was made with each household to see if they needed help. Communication was by means of waving white handkerchief, this could be done by telephone now? Redydration solutions and invalids foods were left at the door. Transport to hospital was arranged for serious cases.

[Laidback Al]

Re: Lowering the mortality rate in 1918.

Local communities in our area have community emergency response teams (CERT). In some communities they are fairly well organized and will serve the local functions you note during a pandemic. More information can be found at

https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/index.shtm

I don't think this is a well publicized program. It would be very useful for a local community during any kind of disaster or emergency.

[sharon sanders]

Re: Community Preparedness - CERT - MUST READ

"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, citizens 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; and organize themselves and spontaneous volunteers to be effective."

[sharon sanders]

Re: Community Preparedness - CERT - MUST READ

STATE DIRECTORY FOR EXISTING CERT GROUPS

https://www.citizencorps.gov/citizen...ertsByState.do
<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD class=pageheadformat>

This is from the website for my area.

Community Emergency Response Training

</TD></TR><TR><TD>People helping people </TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE class=contenttable width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=content vAlign=top width="100%">Emergency response organizations understand that initially following a major disaster, they will not have the resources or capability to meet the demand. They will have to prioritize the use of their response resources. Accepting this, agencies find that Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) empowers family members, neighbors, and the community with the means to care for themselves until more help arrives. CERT connects the professional response community with the people it serves. The training emphasizes mitigation, preparedness activities and response skills for the hazards that the community may face.


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>CERT training is design to cover the following</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE class=contenttable width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=content vAlign=top width="100%">

• Session I: Disaster Preparedness
• Session II: Fire Suppression
• Session III: Disaster medical operations, triage and treating life-threatening injuries
• Session IV: Disaster medical operations, assessment, treatment, and hygiene
• Session V: Light search and rescue
• Session VI: Team organization and disaster psychology.
• Session VII: Final Exercise

Each session requires 2 to 3 hours to complete.


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>What you can expect from training</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE class=contenttable width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=content vAlign=top width="100%">
CERT training is designed to prepare you to help yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Because emergency service personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, you can make a difference by using the training to save lives and protect property. This training covers basic skills that are important to know in a disaster when emergency services are not available. You will want to help. With training and practice and by working as a TEAM, you will be able to do the greatest good for the greatest number after a disaster, while protecting yourself from becoming a victim. Your ability to recover depends on your planning.


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Laidback Al]

Re: Community Preparedness - CERT - MUST READ

Bump this thread.

After the first of the year, our community is starting a new 8 week CERT program for interested individuals. There is a $35 charge for supplies.

If you are interested in preparing for local disasters and are willing to help your community, check with local officials to see when a new CERT program starts in your town or community.

[Laidback Al]

Re: Community Preparedness - CERT - MUST READ

Bump this thread.

After the first of the year, our community is starting a new 8 week CERT program for interested individuals. There is a $35 charge for supplies.

If you are interested in preparing for local disasters and are willing to help your community, check with local officials to see when a new CERT program starts in your town or community.

Bump one more time. In our community the next CERT training is beginning in about two weeks.

For more on CERT, see this thread.

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6581

[Cathy]

Re: Community Preparedness - CERT - MUST READ

Good luck. It is a very worthwhile program. Unfortunately our CERT was very political. When you became a CERT member you gave up your right to be a citizen. You had to follow chain of command for everything, and I mean everything.

I contacted my selectman about an issue and was reprimanded. I was told that I could not post my personal opinion on our local town message board because everyone thought of me as CERT.

I resigned.

[sharon sanders]

Re: Community Preparedness - CERT - MUST READ

Cathy - That is very unfortunate. You seem like an individual who wants to participate. There are other ways. Join a neighborhood watch or contact 10 family or friends to establish a support group - Network Partners. This will give you a chance to help others and also trade your services for items that you need.

Let us know what you decide.