Community Emergency Response

Team (CERT)

Introduction for the

Herndon Woman’s Club

February 23, 2017

● Welcome

● Why prepare and train?

● What CERT is (and what it is not…)

● CERT training overview

● Emergency preparedness tips

● Next steps

Overview

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Why Prepare and Train?

Introduction to CERT for HWC - 2/23/17

● Because disasters and emergencies will happen! Hurricanes (Sandy, Isabelle)

Flash flooding

Derecho

Tornados

Earthquakes

Severe Winter Storms/ Ice Storms (Snowmageddon)

Power Outages

Traffic Disruptions

Wildfires

Pandemics

Terrorist Attacks

Reston Park & Ride Flooding

Photo courtesy of Herndon Patch

Tornado in Chantilly, VA

2003 Snowstorm in Herndon

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● In Fairfax County, 40 fire stations serve about

1.2M people across 400+ square miles

● During a major region-wide disaster, professional

responders may be overwhelmed

Resources will be deployed to the highest priorities first

Roads may be blocked; communications may be down

We may be on our own – for hours or days!

Why Prepare and Train?

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Trained citizens can make a real difference and bridge

the gap until professional help becomes available

● What would you do if an emergency happened

while you were:

Working at Herndon Festival?

Working at Friday Night Live?

Working at the Labor Day Wine Festival?

Volunteering at Clearview?

At home or work?

Why Prepare and Train?

Introduction to CERT for HWC - 2/23/17

Would you be prepared to recognize hazards?

Take positive control? Keep yourself and others safe?

Give live saving first aid?

● A volunteer program that prepares people to

safely help themselves, their families and their

communities when first responders are delayed

● A positive and realistic approach to preparing for

emergency situations where citizen action can

make a vital difference

What CERT Is

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● A FEMA Citizen Corps program, administered in Fairfax County by the Fire & Rescue Department

● Focuses on community-based, self-activating, volunteer emergency response teams

Initial lifesaving support before professional help arrives

All-hazards approach readies you for any type of

disaster/emergency

Provides education and encouragement to help

family/friends/co-workers prepare

● Neighbors helping neighbors, doing the most good for the most people

What CERT Is

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● Professional First Responders

Not a substitute for Fire

and Rescue or the Police

Always call 911 for emergencies!

What CERT Teams Are NOT

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● Prevention – safety practices, mitigation

● Preparedness – things to do now to reduce the

impact of a disaster

● Protection – how to survive a disaster

● Response – what you can do to safely help your

family, friends, and community after a disaster

CERT Training Teaches …

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● General Emergency Preparedness

● Team Organization & Management

Command structure (Incident Command, Accountability, Logistics, Medical)

Sizing up the scene

Safety (self, family, team, others)

● Disaster Medical Operations

Triage (sorting based on priority)

Identify & treat life threatening injuries

Basic wound care

Medical treatment areas

CERT Class Topics

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● Light Search and Rescue Search techniques

Rescue methods

Evacuation/extrication

● Fire Suppression Fire safety

Fire extinguishers

● Hazardous Materials

● Terrorism

● Disaster Psychology

● … and 1001 uses for duct tape!

CERT Class Topics

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● Based on standard FEMA training curriculum

~ 25 hours of training, usually packaged as 7-8 class

sessions including a final practical exercise

Combines lectures and hands-on training to build skills

● Two training options:

Community-based classes taught by volunteer instructors

Academy-based classes taught by Fire & Rescue

Department instructors

● Training is free of charge*, and a backpack of basic safety supplies and tools are provided

* A $15 donation is requested to fund exercises

How Are We Trained?

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● The are no prerequisites – other than being

interested

● No one is asked to do more than

they are comfortable doing

● There is a role for everyone,

regardless of age and

physical ability

● Plenty of opportunities to

stay involved after training,

but no requirement to

Safety is First

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● Once trained, you are eligible to take free specialty classes

to maintain/expand your knowledge and skills:

CPR/AED

First Aid

HAZMAT Awareness

Pet First Aid/CPR

Metro Safety

High Voltage Safety

Infectious Disease Control

Traffic/Crowd Management

Community Assessments

Radio Communications

Ham Radio

Continuing Education Opportunities After Initial

CERT Training

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Wide Area Search

Deafness and Hearing Loss

Awareness

Bystander Care

Moulage

… and many more!

● Operational events

Traffic/crowd management,

radio support and course

marshalling for 5K runs

Lost child/first aid support

for local festivals

● Outreach activities at

local festivals and

emergency

preparedness events

Community Service Opportunities After Initial

CERT Training

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● Training exercises With other CERTs

With professional first responders, as victim actors and/or responders

‒ Fairfax County Fire & Rescue

‒ VATF-1

‒ WMATA/Metrorail

‒ VRE

‒ MWAA/Dulles Airport

‒ Military

Community Service Opportunities After Initial

CERT Training

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● Interested, but not sure you’re ready/able to commit to CERT training?

● You can still help by being prepared! Make a Plan

Build a Kit

Stay Informed

Get Involved

Emergency Preparedness

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● Communications

Program an ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact(s) on the lock screen of your cell phone, or install an ICE app

Have a family communications plan with out-of-state contacts

Make a Plan

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● Conduct household fire drills Agree on your outside meeting place!

● Plan for sheltering in place Interior room

Ready access to emergency supply kit

● Plan for evacuation Where will you go?

What will you take?

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/prepare/

make-a-plan.htm

Make a Plan

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● Home Disaster Kit Should contain non-perishable food,

medicine, water (1 gal/person/day), battery powered radio, flashlights, hygiene products

Maintain at least a 3 day supply (more is better!)

Rotate supplies periodically

Don’t forget pets and creature comforts!

Think about kits for work and your car as well!

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency/prepare/ make-a-kit.htm

Build a Kit

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● Fairfax County ALERTS –

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/alerts

New system established in 2014, replacing CEAN

Provides weather, traffic, local government, and other

tailorable alerts via emails, pages, or text messages

● Also –

WTOP Radio

Ready.gov

ReadyVirginia.gov

Stay Informed

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● Fairfax CERT

www.fairfaxcountycert.org

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fr/cert/

Facebook – Fairfax County CERT Volunteers

● Fairfax Office of Emergency Management

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/oem

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/alerts/

● FEMA: www.ready.gov

● VDEM: www.readyvirginia.gov

More Information

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● Do we have enough interest for a local CERT class in Herndon?

Minimum of 12-15 people (25 max)

To be held at this facility

● If so, when do we want to schedule one?

Spring/summer/fall?

Best nights?

● If not, consider taking a class at the Academy

Next class starts 3/6/17

Sign up on Fairfax County’s Volunteer Management System (volunteer.fairfaxcounty.gov)

Next Steps

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● Thank you for your interest

● Get prepared!

● Be safe!

Questions?

Summary

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