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Community Emergency Response Team

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NYSEMO Version 1.0 Sept. 2003. Why CERT? ... NYSEMO Version 1.0 Sept. 2003. What can government do to prepare citizens for this eventuality? ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Community Emergency Response Team


1
  • Community Emergency Response Team
  • CERT
  • Executive Briefing

2
Why CERT???
  • Following a major disaster, first responders who
    provide fire and medical services will not be
    able to meet the demand for these services.
  • Number of victims, communication failures, and
    road blockages will prevent people from accessing
    emergency services they have come to expect at a
    moment's notice

3
Why CERT???
  • People will have to rely on each other for help
    in order to meet their immediate life saving and
    life sustaining needs.
  • Under these conditions, family members, fellow
    employees, and neighbors will spontaneously try
    to help each other.

4
The Need to be Ready
In 95 of all emergencies, bystanders or victims
themselves are the first to provide emergency
assistance or to perform a rescue
Los Angeles Fire Department
5
Case in Point
  • Mexico City earthquake
  • Untrained, spontaneous volunteers saved 800
    people.
  • However, 100 people lost their lives while
    attempting to save others.
  • This is a high price to pay and is preventable
    through training.

6
What can government do to prepare citizens for
this eventuality?
  • First, present citizens the facts about what to
    expect following a major disaster in terms of
    immediate services.
  • Second, give the message about their
    responsibility for mitigation and preparedness.

7
What can government do to prepare citizens for
this eventuality?
  • Third, train them in needed life saving skills
    with emphasis on decision making skills, rescuer
    safety, and doing the greatest good for the
    greatest number.
  • Fourth, organize teams so that they are an
    extension of first responder services offering
    immediate help to victims until professional
    services arrive.

8
CERT History
  • Los Angeles Fire Department 1985
  • Emergency response overloaded citizens on their
    own
  • Basic training survival, rescue
  • Civilians helping neighbors until other
    assistance arrives
  • FEMA adopted promotes concept
  • President Bushs creation of Citizen Corps

9
What does CERT do? Individual Preparedness
  • Furthers the process of citizens understanding
    their responsibility in preparing for disaster.
  • Increases their ability to safely help
    themselves, their family and their neighbors.
  • Individuals will be better prepared to respond to
    and cope with the aftermath of a disaster.

10
What does CERT do?Community Preparedness
  • Civilians can be recruited and trained as
    neighborhood and business teams that, in essence,
    will be auxiliary responders.
  • Benefits of CERT

11
Benefits of CERT
  • Trained, organized volunteers
  • Support to first responders
  • Provide immediate assistance to victims
  • Organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster
    site
  • Collect disaster intelligence to support first
    responder efforts

12
What CERT is
  • 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.

13
Link with Professional Responders
  • Coordination with local Citizens Corps Councils
    and local emergency services are essential to
    CERT success

14
Course Overview
  • The scope of the course includes
  • Fire safety.
  • Emergency medical operations.
  • Light search and rescue.
  • CERT organization.
  • Disaster psychology.
  • CERTs and terrorism.

15
Community Delivery
  • The CERT training for community groups is usually
    delivered in 2 1/2 hour sessions, one evening a
    week over a 7 week period.
  • After these weekly sessions, the program
    culminates into a large group exercise.
  • Multi-agency, multi-discipline instructors.

16
CERT Liability
  • 1 Consult with your legal counsel
  • Limit exposure and liability
  • Consent, waiver forms for participants
  • Adhere to established training and curriculum
    standards
  • Ensure that participants understand their scope
    of practice

17
Laws that Protect Volunteers
  • CERTs are considered "Good Samaritans" and
    covered under the Volunteer Protection Act.
  • CERT volunteers do not have any authority beyond
    serving as "Good Samaritan" when helping others.

18
Laws that Protect Volunteers
  • NYS Defense Emergency Act
  • NYS Executive Law Article 2B

19
CERT Funding
  • A variety of local approaches to obtaining funds.
  • Some communities build costs into their budget
    while others charge participants to cover costs
    for instructors and course materials.
  • In some communities, CERT organizations have
    filed for 501(C)3 (non-profit organization)
    status, thus allowing them to do fund raising.
  • Grants to communities.

20
Program Responsibilities
  • State responsibilities
  • T-t-T courses
  • Curriculum coordination
  • Local responsibilities
  • Course delivery
  • Materials and equipment costs
  • Team/program management
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