Good videos on the S.T.A.R.T. system for triage

Previously posted on Mira Mesa CERT blog.

(Click title link below to go there.)

Simple Triage And Rapid Treatment Training

Here is a great website with detailed instructions in using the START system.  http://www.citmt.org/start/default.htm

If you just want to see videos of the various phases of START, click the following links in order. http://www.citmt.org/start/video/resp.wmv
http://www.citmt.org/start/video/perfus.wmv
http://www.citmt.org/start/video/mental.wmv 

Safety in the After Disaster Environment

Safety in the After Disaster Environment: "

	Safety in the After Disaster Environment Department of Homeland Security US Fire Academy prepnet (EENET) DVD Library CERT Training - "Safety in the After Disaster Environment" Air Date: February 15, 2006. This broadcast prepares Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) members for the types of hazards encountered after a disaster and discusses safety while working in the disaster affected area. E202	From: PublicResourceOrg Views: 351 2 ratings
	Time: 31:48	More in Education

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Scanning documents for your Emergency Survival Kit

Scanning documents for your Emergency Survival Kit: "

As we’ve mentioned here before, September is National Preparedness Month, a nationwide effort to increase awareness as well as encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies. One of the most crucial aspects of preparation for an emergency is having the right supplies – an Emergency Survival Kit.

The Ready America website encourages everyone to prepare an emergency survival kit with basics such as fresh water, food, a dust mask, and medical supplies. Also included on the survival kit checklist is a collection of important documents such as copies of insurance policies, personal identification, bank account records. In the event of an emergency or natural disaster, would you be able to quickly locate and pack all of these documents without putting yourself or your family at greater risk?

Digitize and secure your important family documents. In addition to having all of your paper documents stored in a safe place, you could also have a portable, digital library of your family’s important information, in the event of an emergency such as a fire or flood. Imagine having your entire family’s birth certificates, medical records, insurance policies, and financial information all archived onto a tiny portable USB drive, packed in your Survival Kit and ready to go at a moment’s notice.

Visit the Ready.gov website to learn more about creating an Emergency Survival Kit for your family.

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“Information Trickles Up” Article On How Communication Flows In Disasters

I found this on the "In Case of Emergency" blog and recommend this article to anyone interested in disaster communications.  Here is the blog article with excerpts of the report:

“Information Trickles Up” Article On How Communication Flows In Disasters: "
An interesting and comprehensive piece on the changing paradigm of disaster communications, “Information Trickles Up,” by Jerry Brito and Daniel M. Rothschild was recently posted on the Local Knowledge project site of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. The authors write:

The traditional view of disaster communications holds that in an emergency, information and instructions must flow from an informed federal government, down to local communities and individuals. This view is dangerous and potentially harmful because it fails to distinguish sharing information from centrally controlling decision making. Traditional post-disaster communication centers on issuing orders rather than sharing information; it tells individuals what to do rather than empowering them to make their own decisions.

This experts-know-best mentality can be especially dangerous during and immediately after disasters. Because disasters are unplanned, attempting to conform them to normative prescriptions can create immense harm. Encouraging widespread dissemination of timely information, by contrast, does not make assumptions about what will happen in the future.

However, using a number of case studies from recent emergencies (including from Mercatus’ own extensive work in the Gulf Coast post-Katrina), the authors outline a new view of disaster communications. They conclude:

Information is only useful in context; knowing that the Earth revolves around the sun matters for the study of the cosmos, but it does not make much of a difference to our daily lives. During and after disasters, the context-the situation on the ground-is constantly changing, and information adjusts with it. Information is most useful when it is timely, accurate, and intelligible; that is, when it helps people make informed decisions about how to best deal with and recover from disasters. And that information is best produced and disseminated on a local level.

The traditional model of how information is produced and disseminated during and after disasters is based on old and disproven assumptions: that a central planner knows best and can disseminate orders to the masses, who must follow these directives. This model was churlish before the widespread democratization of information and communication technologies; today it is positively antiquated. As we have seen in the aftermath of disasters both natural and man-made, information travels in a variety of directions and through a variety of means. Attempts to control the spread of information will only be counterproductive, as people want information on which they can make informed decisions, not orders about what to do.

Because during and after a disaster everyone knows something — and nobody knows everything — the goal should be to aggregate and disseminate accurate information in a timely way. And the best way to do that is to respect that everyday citizens are producers and disseminators, and not just consumers, of all-critical information.

If you would like to read the full report, follow this Link and look for the "Information Trickles Up" article about midway down the blog page.

Intro to CERT Training Video

Good general introduction to what CERT does.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyLj7ZehJyI

"Are You Ready?"

United States Fire Academy "Are You Ready?" Air Date: January 18, 2006.
Included in this program are 3 20-minute segments:
1) one family's story on preparedness including building 3-day kits
2) an instructional video explaining proper protocol in setting up a portable generator while minimizing the risk of fire and eliminating carbon monoxide fumes
3) information regarding flash floods

I haven't watched the entire video yet but the intro looked very professional and easy to understand for anyone. Here's the link to this 58 minute movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaG7ii_tSTU

Fire Fighting "grenade"

Here's a neat idea, a throwable device for house fires!  TV report on the YouTube link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrNfECLpJhw

Texting after a disaster

Texting after a disaster: "

Here is a link to an article discussing communication options during an emergency. Normal phone lines may be jammed but cellular and web-based phones would still work.

Go to the Safe America link (on the right hand side) for additional information. They have a tutorial on the use of texting for emergency communications.

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Radio Ojai Interview on Ojai OK Drill

This might be a good idea to build public awareness and readiness!

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Radio Ojai Interview on Ojai OK Drill: "Last year, I was interviewed by Matt Haag for Radio Ojai (http://www.radioojai.com). The topic covered Personal Preparedness and the September 17th, 2008 Ojai OK Drill.

Please spend about 8 minutes reviewing the information:

http://radioojai.com/2008/09/16/matts-office-paul-garth-of-cert.aspx

"

SD CERT Team Leaders - recruit & public relations opportunity

What could be better than a bunch of neighbors getting together in one place?  How about a chance to let them know about CERT?  Well, there is a new volunteer group which organizes block parties around San Diego who is willing to work with us on this.

I’ve met with Hang who is the volunteer organizer for this brand-new group and when she described what their goals are, I realized that local CERT teams would benefit by being at the block party and meeting the people who live in that neighborhood.

Hang agreed that CERT can hand out flyers, emergency info like the 3-day kit flyers, etc. It’s kind of like a mini-street fair but concentrated on a single neighborhood and avoiding all of the “commercialism” of bigger events which can interfere with talking to people.

The next block party is tentatively scheduled for September 20th from 3pm to 6pm on Trojan Ave between 52nd and 53rd Street (City Heights Area).

Leave me a comment or email me for more information!