a cert in every county! samantha royster ann keyes, director nc cert program manager washington...
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A CERT IN EVERY COUNTY!Samantha Royster Ann Keyes, DirectorNC CERT Program Manager Washington County CERTNC Emergency Management Emergency Management
What is CERT?• Community Emergency Response Teams started by Los Angeles
Fire Department in 1985 when they realized they could easily be overwhelmed in a large-scale emergency/ disaster.
• Recognized need for citizens to be trained in how to help themselves.
• Adopted by FEMA and expanded to national program.• Currently more than 2,200 teams in 50 states, 3 territories and
6 foreign countries.
What is CERT?• Following a major disaster, first responders will not be able to
meet the demand of survivors immediately.• People will have to rely on each other to meet immediate life-
saving and life-sustaining needs.
Apex CERT, Wake County
CERT is:A network of neighborhood and workplace teams who are trained by emergency service professionals who call on them during local disaster situations. CERT members are also a volunteer resource for non-emergency preparedness projects.
Bladen County CERT Apex CERT, Wake CountyWashington County CERT
CERT is:Community members partnering together to provide positive reinforcement of emergency planning and safety roles.
CERT is not:Training citizens to act as firefighters, police officers or paramedics, but as assistants to those professionals.
Carolina Trace CERT, Lee County
CERTs do:• Conduct initial size-up of their
homes/workplaces following a disaster
• Reduce immediate danger by turning off utilities, suppressing small fires, evacuating affected areas
• Triage and treat life-threatening injuries
• Collect damage information for authorities
• Establish and maintain communication with emergency personnel
• Report hazardous situations to appropriate authorities
• Continuously gain more knowledge through further training
• Step up for their neighborhood/campus/ community when needed
• Educate the public about disaster preparedness
• Install smoke detectors• Volunteer for Emergency
Management• Give talks to the community
about preparedness
CERTs do NOT:• Enter structures that are unsafe• Attempt to fight fires that are
too large to control with an extinguisher
• Perform medical treatments beyond their scope of training
• Take the place of 911• Perform hazardous materials
clean-up• Perform beyond their level of
training• Activate or deploy unless called
for according to their procedures
Cary CERT, Wake County
CERT Basic Training21 hours of classroom and hands-on training culminating in a full-scale exercise.
Cary CERT, Wake County
Unit 1 – Disaster Preparedness• Identify roles and
responsibilities for individuals, community leaders, government officials
• Describe types of hazards that affect community, people, health, infrastructure
• Undertake personal and organizational preparedness actions
Unit 2 – Fire Safety & Utility Controls
• The role of CERT in fire safety• Identify and reduce potential
fire and utility risks• Describe CERT sizeup• Explain basic safety
precautions• Identify hazardous materials• Extinguish small fires• Shut off utilities
Washington County CERT
Unit 3 – Disaster Medical Operations, Part I• Identify the “three killers”• Apply techniques for opening airways, controlling bleeding,
treating for shock• Conduct triage under simulated disaster conditions
Carolina Trace CERT, Lee County
Unit 4 – Disaster Medical Operations, Part II• Take appropriate sanitation
measures to help protect public health
• Perform head-to-toe assessments
• Establish a treatment area• Apply splints/bandages
Edenton CERT, Chowan County
Pasquotank-Camden CERTs
Unit 5 – Light Search-and-Rescue Operations
• Identify sizeup requirements for potential search-and-rescue operations
• Describe the most common techniques for searching, both interior and exterior
• Use of safe techniques for debris removal and victim extrication
• Describe ways to protect rescuers during operations
Edenton CERT, Chowan County
Unit 6 – CERT Organization• Describe the CERT structure• Identify how CERTs interrelate with the Incident Command
System• Explain documentation requirements
Fairfield Harbour CERT, Craven County
Unit 7 – Disaster Psychology• Describe the disaster and
post-disaster emotional environment for victims and rescuers
• Describe the steps that rescuers can take to relieve their own stress and that of disaster survivors
Fairfield Harbour CERT, Craven County
Unit 8 – Terrorism and CERT• Define terrorism• Identify potential targets in
the community• Identify the eight signs of
terrorism• Identify CERT operating
procedures for a terrorist incident
• Describe the actions to take following a suspected terrorist incidentWashington County CERT
Graduation Day
Why we need CERT
If just half of the NC population of 9.7 million people had CERT training, think of how it would help the fraction of the population who are professional responders!
Washington County CERT members
- participate in BIG SWEEP/LITTER SWEEP and Safety Awareness programs
- participate in drills and exercises, i.e.EBOLA training, Active shooter, Hazardous Materials,Web EOC training, hurricane/tornado/severe weather
- participate in National Night Out to provide safety materials
- participate in Firefighter’s competition day
- train in Incident Command (ICS 100, 200, 700, 800, 300, 400)
- volunteer in EOC during actual events
- serve alongside coordinators at PODS, CRDP, and assist Red Cross
- have monthly training meetings
Litter Sweep
Litter Sweep
Emergency Preparedness Day
Dust Devil Exercise
Ebola Awareness
Roper Peanut Festival
