Index Resources Training
Emergency Response Team
Preparing to expect the unexpected.

Emergency Preparedness - Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

Establishing Emergency Response Teams

Imagine with me for a moment the following scenario . . . It is a beautiful spring day without a single cloud in the sky, the weather service is forecasting that a major storm system is on the way to the Plains States. For several days they mention that the storm system is on its way with the potential for severe weather ever increasing.

On Thursday morning the storm system is starting to arrive in Kansas as the winds out of the south-southwest are on the increase along with high humidity out of the Gulf of Mexico. While out of the northwest, a cold Canadian airmass is quickly approaching with storms developing in western Kansas. You begin to wonder if today is the day in which the storm will arrive in our area. By midmorning you receive your answer as a series of thunderstorms arrives along the Kansas/Oklahoma border southwest of Winfield. Severe thunderstorm warnings are issued for Sumner and Cowley counties. These storms are quickly gone, now you know that there will be more storms as the air continues to be extremely ripe with moisture.

For some reason you decide to watch the noonday news where the forecaster says that a major outbreak of severe weather is expected throughout Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri that central and southeast Kansas at the highest risk for severe weather with tornadoes likely.

You decide it is time to review your personal emergency plan as well as the team emergency plan and make calls to have the emergency response team leaders on standby for the potential situation. Reports start coming in that the teams have been notified and are ready.

The afternoon overall is quiet until around 4pm when new warnings are issued to the west and southwest. A tornado watch until 11pm has been issued by the National Weather Service. At 4:30pm a tornado warning is issued for Sumner county. A tornado is reported to be near the state border south of South Haven moving north-northeast. Reports that the tornado has dissipated are received, yet the tornado is still on the ground just obscured by heavy rain. Soon new reports come in with the tornado now nearing Mulvane and moving more north than northeast.

Damage reports start coming in from the westside of Mulvane and the tornado is still on the ground and picking up strength and speed. Now reports are coming in from the Derby area of damage and possible train derailment. The power begins to flicker and the radio is saying that there are reports of injuries in both Mulvane and Derby. At the same time a second tornado is reported in Wichita near the Lincoln and Oliver area. Reports of major widespread damage with large number of injuries in Wichita start coming in. Due to the amount of injuries being reported and the number of people being trapped in large building, resources that would be going to Mulvane and Derby are being diverted to Wichita.

Both Derby and Mulvane do not have sufficient resources to handle all the effected areas the Emergency Response Plan is placed into operation with all emergency response teams activated. A request is made to the surrounding area units for additional emergency response teams to be activated as well due to the widespread damage.

Through training the situation becomes easier to handle as the emergency response teams go into the damage areas where regular emergency services are unable to get to because of the amount of damage that has taken place. Additional professional emergency response resources into the Derby and Mulvane will be at least two to three hours away (unless they are diverted to Wichita).

In a large scale disaster situation as in the above scenario the governmental resources that we come to expect to be available will be required to respond where the greatest damage and injuries have occurred. This means that often resources of smaller communities will be called elsewhere, leaving a smaller number of responders available in other areas.

Training -

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has expanded a program that was originally developed in the United States by the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles, California nationally. This program is called Community Emergency Response Team which is commonly known as CERT.

The CERT training program covers the following:

                      Emergency/Disaster Preparedness

                      Fire Safety

                      Disaster Medical Operations - Triage and Treating Life Threatening Injuries

                      Disaster Medical Operations - Assessment, Treatment and Hygiene

                      Light Search and Rescue

                      Team Organization

                      Disaster Psychology

                      Terrorism and Emergency Response

CERT training will teach the participant to:

            1.         Describe the types of hazards most likely to affect their homes and communities.

            2.         Describe the function of CERT and their roles in immediate response.

            3.         Take steps to prepare themselves for a disaster.

            4.         Identify and reduce potential fire hazards in their homes and workplaces.

            5.         Work as a team to apply basic fire suppression strategies, resources and safety measures to extinguish a burning liquid.

            6.         Apply techniques for opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating shock.

            7.         Conduct triage under simulated conditions.

            8.         Perform head-to-toe assessments.

            9.         Select and set up a treatment area.

            10.       Employ basic treatments for various wounds.

            11.       Identify planning and size-up requirements for potential search and rescue situations.

            12.       Describe the most common techniques for searching a structure.

            13.       Use safe techniques for debris removal and victim extrication.

            14.       Describe ways to protect rescuers during search and rescue.

Team Supplies -

Light Search & Rescue Kit -