Back Channel CERT Network

New Digital Communications Recommendations to Help Americans Prepare in Advance of an Emergency

2011-08-31T18:10:00.000-07:00

New Digital Communications Recommendations to Help Americans Prepare in Advance of an Emergency: WASHINGTON, Aug. 31, 2011 - Recent weather events such as Hurricane Irene, the earthquake on the East Coast and other natural disasters highlight the need for Americans to prepare for emergencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the American Red Cross, the Ad Council and Google Crisis Response are collaborating to launch a new preparedness web resource, Get Tech Ready, on behalf of the Ready campaign.

Released just before the start of National Preparedness Month, this new resource educates individuals and families about how using modern-day technology can help them prepare, adapt and recover from disruptions brought on by emergencies or disasters.

A recent American Red Cross survey showed that the internet, including online news sites and social media platforms, is the third most popular way for Americans to gather emergency information and let their loved ones know they are safe.

"As technology becomes more a part of our daily lives, people are turning to it during emergencies as well. We need to utilize these tools, to the best of our abilities, to engage and inform the public, because no matter how much federal, state and local officials do, we will only be successful if the public is brought in as part of the team," FEMA Administrator, W. Craig Fugate.

"During Hurricane Irene, we saw people using new technologies in many ways, whether it was thousands of people downloading our new shelter finder App or others using our Safe and Well site and social media to let their friends and family know they are OK, " said Gail McGovern, President and CEO of the American Red Cross. "People now have more varied resources available at their fingertips that they can use before, during and after emergencies."

Get Tech Ready provides Americans with tips on how to use technological resources before, during and after a crisis to communicate with loved ones and manage your financial affairs. Preparedness tips on the website include:

• Learn how to send updates via text and internet from your mobile phone to your contacts and social channels in case voice communications are not available;

• Store your important documents such as personal and financial records in the cloud or on a secure and remote area or flash or jump drive that you can keep readily available so they can be accessed from anywhere; and

• Create an Emergency Information Document using the Ready.gov Family Emergency Plan template in Google Docs or by downloading the Ready Family Emergency Plan to record your emergency plans.

"Get Tech Ready is a resource that will truly help people in the US and around the world understand how they can use widely available technology to prepare for potential crises," said Nigel Snoud, Product Manager, Google Crisis Response. "We're thrilled to be working with FEMA, the American Red Cross, and the Ad Council on this public service project."

"We are delighted to collaborate with FEMA, Google and the American Red Cross to expand our Ready messages through this new web site to educate more Americans about the vital need to get prepared in advance of an potential emergency," said Peggy Conlon, president & CEO of the Ad Council. "The web site will provide access to critical resources to Americans addressing the importance of using technology as part of their individual and family preparedness plans."

Launched in 2003, National Preparedness Month is designed to encourage Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies throughout the year. The Ready campaign was also launched in 2003 by FEMA in partnership with the Ad Council. Since its launch, media outlets have donated more than $900 million in advertising time and space for the PSAs. The new PSAs will air in advertising time that will be entirely donated by the media.

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

AMERICAN RED CROSS

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit http://www.redcross.org/ or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.

The Indiana State Fair Incident

2011-08-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Indiana State Fair Incident: Thanks Mary for bringing this to my attention! This article was taken from an Emergency Management blog. GO CERT!!I don't know if these were Indiana CERT members that this article talks about as civilian responders, but it sure sounds like it.

The Indiana State Fair Incident

August 15, 2011

This past Saturday night, an outdoor stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair, killing five and injuring approximately 50 spectators. The stage had been setup for a Sugarland concert and there had been severe weather passing through the area with very strong winds that subsequently resulted in a catastrophic failure of the stage and canopy. Even though this incident is still being investigated, there are several important lessons learned that emergency management professionals can immediately recognize and apply.

Simply stated -- this incident highlights the very fine line that we, as a society, walk between normal days and normal accidents. Charles Perrow describes “normal accidents” as the unexpected interaction between component failures in a system. In this incident, the interaction between the environment (severe weather) and technology lead to a very unexpected event -- a Black Swan Event, if you will.

As I watched and listened the events unfold via social media and public safety radio communications, there were several lessons learned that were readily apparent but here are the three most important for us to remember:

•The first responders were civilian bystanders and they did an amazing job. These people took immediate action, helped the injured, rendered first aid, and reported valuable information into “the cloud”. Each and every one of them should be commended for their selfless actions in a dangerous and chaotic scene. As emergency planners, we must recognize the importance of civilian responders in large scale disasters -- support them!•Social media played an unbelievable role sharing information. From across the country and sitting behind my computer screen, I had pictures and videos of the incident before the news media reported anything. I knew what collapsed and where, I had approximate numbers of people killed and injured, and where they were transported. I knew approximately many patients went to each hospital, which hospitals were on divert, and which hospitals were still accepting patients -- all via social media! If you have not embraced social media for emergency management use, you are only hurting yourself. Social media is an amazing resource when used appropriately and provides near real-time information on dynamic incidents -- use it!

•We cannot become complacent and fatigued when it comes to the planning process. I am not saying, however, that this occurred here but this incident should act as a reminder that we must be prepared for worst-case scenarios through exercising, collaborative planning processes, dynamic, bi-directional information sharing (both vertically and horizontally), and excellent preparedness capabilities. Like it or not, as emergency services we are all on the same team -- act like it.

Unfortunately, incidents like this happen and will continue to happen despite our best efforts to limit their occurrence and consequences. Bottom line -- thank civilian responders but give them the training and resources they need to stay prepared, embrace social media as the resource we know it is and use it, and stay open-minded when planning for the consequences of vulnerabilities and risks.

Then check this link out:

http://plcert.typepad.com/cert/2011/08/indiana-state-fair-stage-collapse.html

USAR Drill

2011-07-31T09:30:00.001-07:00

I just got this in, the USAR is conducting a drill and we are being asked to participate. This is a wonderful opportunity, because it emulates a potential real situation, where CERT would be the first to arrive, set up ICS, perform light rescue, triage, wound care, all of our skills, then we do the handoff to elements of USAR as they arrive on scene. CERT will do this for the first few hours of the drill, then after the handoff most of the participating CERT will act as victims for the USAR at least part time during the rest of the drill. CERT will probably not spend the whole time in the victim rolls, it appears that there will be some opportunity to shadow the drill proctors and observe the ICS operation. Assignments will be on an as-needed basis, so you don't really know what you will be doing during the drill. All in all this looks like it might be a good opportunity to observe the USAR in action and show them what we can do. And, it is good for a CE.

Please download and read the agenda carefully:

http://www.sitetuneups.biz/CERT/CERT_Agenda_for_USAR_Exercise.pdf

Note that this is a LONG exercise, 7am-6pm, and there will be some physical challenges, as well as possibly long periods of waiting. Also, it is NOT a refresher, you will be expected to know the things you are supposed to know, so take another look at that manual. If there are parts of CERT operations you really don't like to participate in, this is not your drill. I don't know if there will be a lunch break, or many other comforts (a lot like the real thing). This is on a Thursday, August 11. Location is Chula Vista Fire Station 4/Training facility.

ALL OF COUNTY CERT CAN PARTICIPATE IN THIS DRILL. Sign up early for this if you want to go:

https://apps.sandiego.gov/ereg/cert/register.php?id=391

-Steve

Wound Care Kit

2011-07-21T06:29:00.001-07:00

Wound Care Supplies—This of you with a largely empty CERT bag might be interested in this. Kelly Witt, North City Team Leader, has assembled a Go-Bag Wound care kit comprised of the following:

40 -- squares of gauze, 4"x4"

3 -- rolls gauze

1 -- hand sanitizer, 2oz

1 -- roll paper tape (medical tape), 1" x 10yds

5 -- disposable face masks (flat style)

2 -- N95 particulate masks

10 -- pairs of nitrile gloves (** please indicate M or L size)

1 -- triangle bandage (arm sling)

10 -- alcohol wipes

1 -- pair of "Mr. Sock"! (tube socks with toes cut off)

Price will be around $15, including tax and shipping. We won't know the exact amount until we get the orders in and Kelly makes the buy. If you want this stuff (it is NOT required, but a good idea) this is your chance to put a quality kit in your bag without having to assemble it yourself like I did. Please express your interest to your Team Leader, along with the size glove you will need. Orders must be in by Friday, 29 July.

CERT - START - RPM (Part 2).mpeg

2011-07-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

CERT - START - RPM (Part 2).mpeg: "

	CERT - START - RPM (Part 2).mpeg	From: nischwartz Views: 3452 0 ratings
	Time: 09:26	More in Education

QuickTips for July – Important Information Needed After A Disaster

2011-07-15T07:09:00.000-07:00

QuickTips for July – Important Information Needed After A Disaster: "

Think of what information you will need to carry on after a disaster. Much, but not all, of our important information today is stored in our computers. Copies of this information should be kept in a safe place such as a safe deposit box, at a relative’s house, outside the house with other disaster supplies or in a go-bag. Thumb drives could be very useful to store this information. If you are not computer capable, make do with copy machines.

Here is a list of items to get you started:

Wills, insurance policies (home and autos), mortgage papers, deeds, Passports, driver licenses and credit cards (both sides), social security and medicare cards

Birth, marriage, divorce and death certificates

Bank and Brokerage account numbers and institution names

Important phone numbers and addresses

Health policy numbers and immunization records

You will also need information to file claims with FEMA and insurance companies. The sooner you can file, the sooner you will receive funds to begin rebuilding. This advice can save you MAJOR time and money.

To help support your claims you should have:

Photos of every room, every closet, cupboard, drawer and cabinet as well as the exterior of the house and autos. These are the “before” photos so you can prove damage.

While you are gathering all of these “official” items, you might also want to store a copy of all of those digital family photos to protect family memories.

First Aid Shopping

2011-07-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

First Aid Shopping: "

Just in time for Skills Day training, I was in REI yesterday and saw these two items on the rack. They are probably the items that we get the most questions on regarding where to buy them.

2011 CERT Invitational (Burbank, CA)

2011-06-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

2011 CERT Invitational (Burbank, CA): "The Burbank Fire Department cordially welcomes your team to compete in the 2011 CERT Invitational.

This September 17, ten teams will execute high-intensity skills challenges based on the Citizen Corps CERT curricula. In this second-annual event, a mix of municipal and industry teams will compete to achieve the highest cumulative score over six distinctive stations:

Fire Suppression
Victim Triage and Casualty Collection Area
Search and Rescue Operations
Cribbing and Victim Extrication
Disaster Medical Operationshttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
CERT comprehensive written exam

Each station is designed for six team members. Overall team size may range between a minimum of six (6) and a maximum of ten (10). All competing teams are required to provide an additional person that will be assigned to the overall event to assist with competition administration and logistics. All competing members are required to provide their own Personal Protective Equipment, though all operational materials will be furnished at each station.

General registration is now open and is handled online through the Eventbrite service:
2011invitational.eventbrite.com

Registration will remain open until all positions are filled. There is an entry fee of $50.00 for CERT teams from a city or county agency; $100.00 for business/industry ERT teams.

Ticket categories on registration page:

Municipal CERT Team
Business/Industry Team

Teams may pay by credit card or check. There is a nominal service fee charged by the registration website for credit card transactions. If your organization chooses to pay by check, when registering please click 'show other payment options' under the 'order now' button and a new button 'pay offline' will appear. Click this option. Teams that withdraw before July 31, 2011 will be given a refund.

Additional information and regulations can be found at:
BurbankFireCorps.org/CERT_Invitational

We'll see you in September!

Erik Day
2011 CERT Invitational Coordinator

competition@burbankfirecorps.org
http://www.burbankfirecorps.org/CERT_Invitational/
www.ci.burbank.ca.us

Red Cross Backpacks @ Costco

2011-05-07T18:35:00.000-07:00

Red Cross Backpacks @ Costco: "

Here’s a great gift idea for those that keep meaning to get prepared that never quite get around to it. One for the car, one at work, one at home.

Emergency Water Storage

2011-03-11T22:50:00.000-08:00

Emergency Water Storage: "

Here is an ingenious way to store a large amount of drinking water in your home during emergencies. http://www.waterbob.com/ A relative in Hawaii just used one this morning to store water prior to the tsunami evacuations. These can also be found on eBay for $21 each (not including shipping)

CERT National Newsletter Q1 2011

2011-02-06T08:23:00.000-08:00

Dear CERT Community,

The CERT National Program Office is pleased to bring you the first 2011 quarterly "CERT National Newsletter." This is an exciting edition and features an informative story on Haiti CERT’s response to the devastating earthquake a year ago. Also, be sure to read the stories on promoting CERT in your community, a rodeo in Guam that refreshes disaster readiness skills, and how a “disability” is a special skill in disguise. Click on the following link to read and download the newsletter: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/newsletter.shtm

We hope you enjoy this newsletter. If you know of others who would be interested in receiving CERT National newsletters or CERT updates, please have them subscribe at the following website: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/subscribe.shtm

Thank you.

Sincerely,

CERT National Program Office
Community Preparedness Division
Federal Emergency Management Agency

A Gift Idea For CERT Teams

2011-01-11T18:53:00.000-08:00

A Gift Idea For CERT Teams: "

Check out the CERT VAULT (Vehicle Attached Utility Load Transporter) available on Amazon. Is it cool? Definitely! Is it useful? Of course! Is it expensive? You bet!

Winterize your Emergency Kits

2010-12-15T06:22:00.000-08:00

Winterize your Emergency Kits: "

Now is the time to check all your battery operated devices such as flashlights, radios, gps, etc. Make sure their batteries are fresh and no corrosion has occurred. Collect additional fresh backup batteries for all your battery operated devices. Review your emergency clothing. With winter approaching its time to ensure you have adequate protection from the elements; good waterproof and insulated boots, gloves, hats and appropriate coats for your region. To support potential evacuations, make sure your cars are winterized with adequate antifreeze, windshield washer fluid and additional heating devices as required by your locale. This is also a good time to test fire your emergency generator to ensure rapid starts during power outages.

This information has been provided for our CERT group’s use courtesy of GetReadyGear

Fairfax County CERT: 72 hour kit form COSTCO -- Great Price

2010-10-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

Fairfax County CERT: 72 hour kit form COSTCO -- Great Price

CERT National Newsletter Oct 2010

2010-10-16T08:57:00.001-07:00

The CERT National Program Office is pleased to announce the release of the October 2010 quarterly "CERT National Newsletter." This edition features stories on Haiti CERT’s response to the devastating earthquake and national emergency response efforts during natural disasters from local CERT programs across the country. Click on the following link to read and download the newsletter: CERT National Newsletter for October 2010.
We hope you enjoy this newsletter. If you know of others who would be interested in receiving CERT news and updates, please have them subscribe at the following website: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/subscribe.shtm.

Sincerely,

CERT National Program Office
Individual & Community Preparedness Division

Federal Emergency Management Agency

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County Joins Nation's First Test of New Text Alert System

2010-10-16T08:53:00.001-07:00

County Joins Nation's First Test of New Text Alert System

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October 15, 2010

Local agencies are coordinating with the Office of Emergency Services to participate in the first test of the Commercial Mobile Alert System, or CMAS, a national system which uses new technology to automatically send text messages with emergency information to cell phones.

“The County is a leader in using mass notifications in disasters, so it is exciting for us to help develop the latest technology,” said Supervisor Greg Cox, District 1. “CMAS will allow us to reach more people with critical information in an emergency.”

Video: Alert system tested

Supervisor Cox was joined by Congresswoman Susan Davis and state and local officials Friday at the Office of Emergency Services to demonstrate how CMAS works. The County is participating in the pilot program in partnership with Sprint and the California Emergency Management Agency.

“We’ll test CMAS throughout October, giving more than 100 phones to partners including the Sheriff’s Department, CAL FIRE and local military, to provide results to state and federal officials,” said Ron Lane, Director of the Office of Emergency Services.

CMAS is different than Reverse 911 and AlertSanDiego, which can only reach landlines as well as cell numbers that have been registered by the user. CMAS doesn’t use a database of numbers; instead, it can send a text message to any phone that has the new technology and can target phones located within an area impacted by a disaster.

CMAS may be available for public use in about a year. Until the technology is available, residents are encouraged to register their cell phone numbers with AlertSanDiego at ReadySanDiego.org.

Email Updates Get County news and information delivered to your inbox

OK! Drill 2010 - Results & Reflection

2010-09-21T06:27:00.000-07:00

[This is a drill that I would like to see more CERT groups sponsor - actually getting people to practice preparedness and what to do in a disaster... TJW]

OK! Drill 2010 - Results & Reflection: "The 3rd Ojai Valley OK! Drill, held Wednesday 7PM on September 15th, was a big success on many levels.

By 8:05PM, the total counts had been relayed via Ham Radio into the Ojai Police Department -- 40% improvement with a total of 1383 OK! Signs counted. All Neighborhoods showed measurable improvement year-over-year.

Casitas Springs -- 1
Oak View -- 246
Mira Monte -- 478
Meiners Oaks -- 239
Arbolada/Foothill -- 93
West City Ojai -- 127
East City Ojai -- 176
East End -- 2
Upper Ojai -- 21

Over 80 volunteers (made up of CERT, Red Cross and Ham Radio Operators) had completed the drill within the given time of 1 hour - rallying at pre-assigned rendezvous points throughout The Ojai Valley; searching pre-assigned search areas; and following ICS principles of communication by relaying total OK! Sign counts via Ham Radio to the Police Department.

The volunteers enjoyed support and encouragement from many Government/First Responder Officials including: District 1 County Supervisor Bennett and staff, City of Ojai Mayor Olsen, Battalion Chiefs Dorn and Garcia, Fire PIO Nash, Ojai Chief of Police Dunn. Bennett's aides, Cindy Cantle and Council Member Brian Brennan organized an after-event hot-wash discussion where volunteers shared their experiences including offering ideas for improvement. Everyone agreed that the flashing CalTrans Signs and the AM 1610 Radio Announcement were major factors in the drill's success. Supervisor Bennett read a Proclamation from the Ventura County Board of Supervisors acknowledging the team effort and naming September 15th as 'Ojai Valley OK Community Drill Day'. County OES contributed with releasing Reverse 911 which contacted 15,000 residences alerting people of the drill.

Leading up to the drill, several thousand OK! Signs were printed (by Supervisor Bennett's Office), laminated (funded by Rotary Club Ojai West) and distributed throughout The Ojai Valley (by CERT Volunteers). During the Sunday Ojai Farmer's Market a good percentage of shopper's remembered the prior year's drills and already had their signs at home.

Additional effort was made to reach out to sister organizations throughout the Valley who practiced their OK! Drill and then relayed the results to the Ojai PD. The additional drills were good local practice, demonstrated possibility of a CountyWide event, and proved that distant groups can effectively relay information:

-Camarillo Leisure Village -- 1467 signs counted within 50 minutes
-Santa Paula CERT/Neighborhood Watch -- 192 signs counted (first OK! Drill)
-Ventura Mobile Home Park -- 188 signs counted
-Santa Rosa Ham Radio Communications -- 8 Operators checked in
-Lake Los Angeles Ham Radio Communications -- Proof of concept for comm relay
-Ham Radio Relay between locations in Los Angeles County and Santa Paula - Proof of concept for comm relay

Hovan (KI6BQL) was Ventura CountyWide Net Control Ham Operator who tied all the remote groups together and relayed information to Wayne (W6OEU) in Ojai. Thanks to Wayne (N6WIX), and SMRA, for securing time on the County Repeater from the South Mountain Repeater Association.

We are anticipating next year for our sister groups within Ventura County and neighboring Counties (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo) to participate during the 2011 OK! Drill.

Big thanks goes out to all the CERT Neighborhood Area Coordinators, NERT Coordinators, Volunteer Search Support and Radio Operators.

We cannot overlook the most important participant in The Ojai Valley OK! Drill -- each and every resident who chose to spend a few minutes:

-Preparing their disaster plan
-Tuning to AM 1610
-Posting their Yellow OK Sign in a location closest to the street
-Checking on their neighbor

Without a sign being posted, we don't have a drill.

Looking forward to the 4th Annual OK! Drill -- 3rd Wednesday in Sept - 9/21/11 at 7PM.

Emergency Radios That Still Don’t Communicate With Each Other 9 Years Later & The Danger To Government Credibility With The Public

2010-09-21T06:25:00.000-07:00

Emergency Radios That Still Don’t Communicate With Each Other 9 Years Later & The Danger To Government Credibility With The Public: "

For government authorities one of — if not the most — important part of homeland security/disaster preparedness and response is its credibility with the public. There will always be skepticism about government communication, but the ability of the authorities to be able to be trusted during and after a crisis is vital. It’s in large part why a recent New York Times article worried me.

One of the great tragedies and surprises for the public in the aftermath of the September 11th World Trade Center attacks was learning that New York City first responders could not communicate on their radios during the rescue effort. The 9/11 Commission report said dealing with that problem should be a top priority.

Well, in an interesting article in the New York Times earlier this month by Edward Hyatt, “9 Years After 9/11, Public Safety Radio Not Ready,” indicates that almost a decade later the issue still exists. Hyatt writes:

The problem, highlighted in the 9/11 Commission Report, was seen again in 2005 after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Public safety officers from different jurisdictions arrived at the scene of those disasters only to find that, unable to communicate with each other by radio, they had to resort to running handwritten notes between command centers.

Despite $7 billion in federal grants and other spending over the last seven years to improve the ability of public safety departments to talk to one another, most experts in such communications say that it will be years, if ever, before a single nationwide public safety radio system becomes a reality.

I would think a lot of readers must have been shocked to read that the connectivity issue remains. I am not enough of a technical expert to determine how reasonable this situation is. But this is type of unsolved problem that can really severely damage the government’s homeland security credibility, particularly if it is not explained to the public why it has not been dealt with (and may never be). I would hope that the officials at all levels would speak more about the lack of communications issue and not wait for the press to bring it up. If there is another situation like 9/11 and there are similar problems, it will be very difficult for the public to accept after all the discussions and hand-wringing about the issue.

But this question of government credibility should be viewed even broader, particularly in the area of communications. There is a lot of confusion among the public and in fact the government about how officials would communicate with its citizens and vice versa in a crisis. In fact, officials should be conducting an ongoing dialogue with the public on communications in general (ie. warning systems, IPAWS, reverse 9/11) which are evolving but are not currently up to speed.

But this ‘more is more’ approach to information is useful across the board when it comes to establishing and maintaining government credibility during and after a major crisis, particularly a terrorist attack. The time to talk about ‘dirty bombs’ and ’shelter in place’ is not after the incident but before. So, my strong hope is that government officials at the national, state and local levels are more forthcoming about the challenging issues they are dealing with so the public is not surprised to hear that problems they thought were being addressed have not been. Americans will be far more understanding if they are let into the ongoing discussion, and importantly their government will have more credibility with them.

2010 CERT Invitational

2010-09-13T21:34:00.000-07:00

2010 CERT Invitational: "On September 11, 2010, the Burbank Fire Department hosted the 2010 CERT Invitational. Six teams competed in high intensity skills challenges based solely on the Citizen Corps CERT curricula. Awards were given for the highest scoring team at each station as well as awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd overall finishes. The name of the overall winning team got bragging rights - their name will be the first engraved on a perpetual plaque for what is expected to become an annual tradition.

The CERT teams tested their skills by competing in a number of skill stations that were timed and judged by a panel of experts.

The skills stations in the event included: fire suppression, victim triage and casualty collection area, search and rescue operations, cribbing and victim extrication, disaster medical operations and a comprehensive written exam."

Scanners May Be Your Only Option To Know If Help Is On The Way

2010-09-02T06:36:00.000-07:00

Scanners May Be Your Only Option To Know If Help Is On The Way: "

In CERT, we learn 'Following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services will not be able to meet the demand for these services. Factors as 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 through 911. People will have to rely on each other for help in order to meet their immediate life saving and life sustaining needs.' (www.citizencorps.gov/cert/about)

You call 911 and you are unable to get through. How do you know if help is arriving and how bad is the situation?

One option is to find your local emergency agency on a scanner. The following website provides live feeds from across the country.

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/

For additional tips, visit http://www.facebook.com/citizencorps

Editor's Note:

This website provides close to real-time radio messages for a variety of emergency responders (such as police and fire) and ham radio repeaters. Just find the feed you would like to hear and click on the speaker icon to find out what is going on. I compared this with my radios and found that they were only about 2 seconds behind the actual radio calls.

Terry Walters

As Hurricane Earl Approaches, @CraigAtFEMA Shows How Twitter Allows For A Little Variety, Humor & Even A Bit Of Sarcasm In Public Preparedness Messaging — Other Emergency Managers Should Follow Suit

2010-08-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

As Hurricane Earl Approaches, @CraigAtFEMA Shows How Twitter Allows For A Little Variety, Humor & Even A Bit Of Sarcasm In Public Preparedness Messaging — Other Emergency Managers Should Follow Suit: "

This morning, the East Coast-based Twitter followers of @CraigatFEMA (aka FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate) got a bit of a provocative challenge:

It was little less cheeky than his reminder tweet from the day before:

Usually, preparedness messaging — particularly as a threat approaches — is Boy Scout earnest (and Fugate uses that approach as well — see below).

But Twitter has allowed the Administrator to also offer some more refreshingly more casual, irreverent messages — that use humor and even a little sarcasm to try to get through to Americans to prepare. The character limits, the volume of Tweets and the targeted nature of social media makes it a good medium for experimentation, particularly when (like Fugate) you have a gregarious, infectious personality with a nice sense of humor — and you have heard of every excuse for not preparing from the public during a long emergency management career. The fact is that the straight forward approach has largely not worked.

Fugate’s Twitter feed should embolden emergency managers to try some more direct and conversational approaches that officials might not feel comfortable saying during a news conference or in a press release.

LAFD’s Brian Humphrey, Emergency 2.0 Pioneer, Urges Responder Agencies In Video “To Get In The [Social Media] Pool” — “If It Works In LA, It Can Work In Your Town Too”

2010-08-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

LAFD’s Brian Humphrey, Emergency 2.0 Pioneer, Urges Responder Agencies In Video “To Get In The [Social Media] Pool” — “If It Works In LA, It Can Work In Your Town Too”: "

A major highlight of the Red Cross Emergency Data Summit earlier this month for me was meeting in person someone I have known — and have learned from — remotely for the last several years, Brian Humphrey from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). Brian has been a pioneer in the use of personal technology by government emergency officials to inform and engage the public.

Brian and his fellow LAFD public information officers manage an unparalleled social media operation in the government emergency field, including a blog about to hit three million visits and a Flickr site with seven million views. The Department recently split its Twitter account in two: @LAFD, which is reserved for fire and accident reports, and @LAFDTalk, which people can use to ask questions about fire extinguishers or whatever else fire-related is on their minds. Brian gave a terrific presentation at the Red Cross event about his work that can be found on C-SPAN’s website.

In the two-and-a-half minute video below, I asked Humphrey what he would tell other emergency responder agencies, which have not yet embraced social media in their work, ”I encourage agencies and people to jump in the water. That doesn’t mean enter head first. But get in the pool.” He urges a patient approach in which officials listen, absorb information initially. But he points out social media is a “force multiplier” for emergency agencies in distributing and gathering information. And he notes: “If it works in Los Angeles, it can work in your town too.”

Humphrey cites an example of social media’s usefulness in the wake of the stampede at Germany’s Love Parade at which 18 people died. He says that in similar types of events, LAFD uses social media to monitor the situation before it gets out of hand. He also urges the public to sign up for their local government text/email alerts, which offer an opportunity to get emergency information even before its delivered by the traditional media.

LAFD Public Information Officer Brian Humphrey discusses the use of social media and personal technology in the emergency services.

A Job Opening That’s ‘Ready’ To Be Filled Immediately: Elected Official Needed To Take Lead On Citizen Preparedness

2010-08-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

A Job Opening That’s ‘Ready’ To Be Filled Immediately: Elected Official Needed To Take Lead On Citizen Preparedness: "

During the time that I have covered the topic of citizen emergency preparedness, one of the most surprising things I’ve found is that there is no major elected official who has taken the lead on the issue.

It’s surprising for a number of reasons: natural disasters and terrorism dominate the headlines and will continue to for the foreseeable future; citizen preparedness is pretty much unassailable, bipartisan, patriotic and community-building topic; and even the smallest interest in Washington has at least one political champion (but not public preparedness). And, with much to do, there is a great opportunity to have a positive policy and political impact.

Yet, there is no elected official who has taken the lead on the issue which is one of the reasons why the nation still has not made appropriate progress on it. Citizen preparedness requires some political leader who will make sure it is not ignored in the legislative process as it has been to date. In fact, I would argue the lack of political leadership is one reason why citizen preparedness has not received requisite attention from the government, the media and the public.

So, is there any elected official is interested in the job? Or, do readers have any ideas of who should do it?

Fugate Says FEMA Is Reevaluating Future Of CERT: Significant Changes Possible, Including Offering Mini-Course To More Americans, Significantly Expanding Youth Training

2010-08-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

Fugate Says FEMA Is Reevaluating Future Of CERT: Significant Changes Possible, Including Offering Mini-Course To More Americans, Significantly Expanding Youth Training: "

In response to a question from the audience at the Red Cross Emergency Social Data Summit last week, Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate mentioned that the agency is doing some serious rethinking about the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program as it approaches its 25th Anniversary.

The questioner urged Fugate to move CERT from the Department of Homeland Security to FEMA’s jurisdiction. Fugate was able to answer, with smile, “Done,” noting that he now oversees the program which trains citizen teams to assist during emergencies. That answer was easy. However, Fugate knows that determining and then making the necessary changes in CERT to make it most useful for FEMA, local authorities, the citizen volunteers and the nation will not be as simple.

Fugate said that FEMA is considering major changes in the program, including creating a shorter training course which could be offered to more Americans and significantly expanding CERT training for schools and other youth groups in order to better imbed preparedness into society for the long-term.

The CERT program faces a good news/bad news situation, according to Fugate. There are just not enough emergencies in which the civilian teams can take part in. Without activity, it is difficult to keep the citizen volunteers energized, interested and trained.

“Here’s the problem,” he explained, “People say I’ve taken all this training and there are no disasters. Well that’s good thing.” Maybe for the nation as a whole but not for the strength of the CERT program. (The C-SPAN video of Fugate’s speech is here.)

FEMA and local emergency management officials have to answer, in Fugate’s words, “a perennial question we run into: after CERT training, what’s next?”

And more importantly what’s next for the CERT program as a whole?

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate talks about the CERT program at the Red Cross’ Emergency Social Data Summit on Thursday.

As Fugate correctly diagnoses, there is need for some changes in the program. Right now, in most places there is just not enough work for CERT’s to do. It is a theme that I also hear from members around the nation who contact me through the blog, and I see from my own experience as a CERT here in New York City.

But while CERT teams are not getting enough business, Fugate is bullish about a larger market for preparedness training among the general public.

“We’re looking if there are ways we can take the CERT training and break it up. A lot of [business and social] groups have approached us and said we think this is really great but attention span of our audience won’t get you there. [At present, the CERT training is 20 hours, usually taught over 10 weeks.] But if you could give us 2-4 hours and we could give you our group what could you put together for us in that time that would empower and train people not necessary not to the level of CERT.”

From my experience both serving and reporting on CERT, the idea of spreading its resources out more broadly through the community for adults and kids makes a lot of sense.

One question is how the government should organize this new horizontal model of citizen preparedness training. What should stay under CERT? Should these new ideas (shorter training for adults, kids) be put in another high profile civilian volunteer preparedness or resilience program?

I’ve always felt that CERT training is less about the skills you learn and more about awareness about the community and the various emergency authorities (and identifying citizen crisis organizers in advance). To me, CERT is just basic citizenship training for the 21st Century, which I think every American should get a chance to receive. I might suggest that the smaller reduced curriculum be called something along the lines of “Citizen Resilience Training”.

The overarching philosophy of CERT is terrific: take advantage of citizen’s desire to want to help in crises and their ability to be useful. I believe that interest is even more robust since 9/11, Katrina and with other threats on the horizon. (The rapid growth of the CrisisCommons citizen technology initiative over the past year is just one example of how much public interest there is to assist in emergency situations.)

An extensive survey done by the Citizen Corps (which oversees the CERT program) found that almost two-thirds (64%) of Americans say they would be willing to take a 20-hour training class to assist their community recover from disasters. The 64% figure was striking to me, because it points out an interest of many Americans to become more knowledgeable in emergency preparedness/response. That’s not to say that two-thirds of the population want to join the CERT program, but it does seem to indicate that a lot of Americans would be amenable to some sort of disaster education/training — particularly it was held in their workplace, house of worship, social club, etc.

Now, there are some communities around the U.S. where CERT teams are more fully engaged with activities than others. When I asked readers last month for their thoughts on CERT, Paul Garth from an Ojai, California team said it was up to the members themselves to go out and find things to do, which his group had. To some extent, Garth is right that CERTs themselves should try to develop ideas, but it can also be difficult because they are usually dependent on government emergency officials.

One question is whether the expectations for CERT service be more clearly delineated. There are no ‘cuts’ for anyone who passes the training, and then there are some members who go to every meeting and assignment and others who never show up. It can be difficult to keep a cohesive, engaged group going when some of the team — particularly when it involves sensitive emergency activities — are not fully committed.

It might make sense to have a better-trained CERT civilian group along the lines of another Citizen Corps program, Medical Reserve Corps, which is comprised of volunteer medical personnel. That might make government officials more comfortable in integrating CERT volunteers into its activities like a police auxiliary.

Fugate’s idea of broadening CERT-type training may be most useful when it comes to a younger generation. He believes that if the nation really wants to change social behavior on preparedness it needs to do so with the younger generation — who are not only more impressible than adults but are more likely to influence their parents and will also have a more long-term influence.

It would also be an opportunity to include preparedness into the curriculum in the schools where Fugate believes a culture of preparedness has the best chance of becoming imbedded. One useful historical model is the commitment to school-based fire education after the 1974 publication of the national “America Burning” report. In some cases, youth preparedness/CERT training can piggy back on these existing classroom programs.

Fugate mentioned that there are some excellent CERT programs for young people in parts of the nation. I recently wrote about interesting youth initiatives sponsored by READYColorado and the Colorado Division of Emergency Management, including the creation of a teenage ‘Social Media Response Team’ to help the authorities and the public during disasters. Eastern Michigan University has also taken leadership in developing Teen CERT programs in a number of states

I believe that a decision to expand CERT-type training in the schools would be welcomed on a bipartisan basis. In an interview I did with former Bush Administration Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff last year he agreed that a key to creating a long-term prepared nation is to focus on schools and kids. In the discussion, he sketched out two suggestions – a “minimum” and a “maximum” approach. The “minimum” would be “to get the fire management and emergency management people to come together to create a program to be exported to the schools on basic preparation.”

Chertoff’s “maximum” option is that there be a more substantive course developed for U.S. schools on planning and preparation, which would include teaching “basic skills”. It would almost serve as a very limited albeit useful national basic training.

“If you’re not going to have a national service then as part of graduation from high school there should be a course over a period of time that teaches you the kind of basic things you might need in an emergency,” Chertoff says, adding “It’s going to do two things. It’s going to create a cadre of more capable people, but it is also going to demystify the process of preparation. Most people are intimidated that they don’t know how to do it. They’re afraid of being embarrassed.”

As FEMA officials examine what to do with CERT going forward, I imagine they will be undertaking an analysis of the future need and demand. Though it is a very well-intentioned idea — and I have really enjoyed and learned from my CERT work — there may well be that there a limit to what moderately trained part-time volunteers can really do in the official emergency services world. Maybe the bulk of CERT volunteers who are willing to commit just to the basic training and limited participation would be better to be transferred to the disaster services unit of Red Cross chapters from around the U.S.. which is busier with fires and local emergencies.

I recommend that FEMA should also reach out to some CERT team leaders/members in communities around the U.S. as government officials do not always know what is going on within the CERT teams (as this blog post from state emergency management official Mark Chubb underscores).

To me, civilian CERT members can best serve the community by being, in Fugate’s words, preparedness “ambassadors” providing information and guidance to their neighbors. When it comes to citizen preparedness, there is a real need for explanation and modeling, and CERT members can be hugely helpful in part as emergency management offices don’t always have the time always the inclination to do so. Further, the growth of social media platforms underscore the value of friend-to-friend, peer-to-peer education both before and during emergencies.

I received a thoughtful e-mail last year from the State of Florida’s former CERT coordinator Bill Firestone who served under Fugate in which he elaborates on the value of the “ambassador” role.

While it’s very unlikely that most CERTers will participate in a mass casualty triage or perform in pairs in fire suppression, CERTers will talk to their neighbor, participate in their children’s schools, attend neighborhood activities. Consequently, they can reach out to people that government and non-profit preparedness messages cannot reach or it is too expensive.

In my role as a “CERTer”, here in Florida, I am reaching out to neighbors and talking to them about the network of non-profits in disaster and the importance of knowing what services and assistance they can provide before and after disaster. Here in hurricane-prone Florida I have begun to send along the url for information about the importance of completing an SBA loan application and how that is tied to receiving additional disaster assistance. Most of my neighbors that have incurred damages to their house have been told about the low-interest loans following disaster, but not aware of the other benefits to completing the application.

If you have any thoughts on FEMA’s reevaluation of CERT, I’d love to hear them.

Handing out preparedness information at a Manhattan street fair with my own youth CERT in training.

Follow/Participate In Thursday’s American Red Cross “Emergency Crisis Data Summit” On Web

2010-08-12T06:32:00.000-07:00

Follow/Participate In Thursday’s American Red Cross “Emergency Crisis Data Summit” On Web: "

The American Red Cross is holding a very exciting event in Washington on Thursday and is encouraging interested members of the public from around the U.S. and the world to follow it and participate through the web.

It is the organization’s first “Emergency Crisis Data Summit: Answering The Cry For Help” which will bring together government agencies, emergency management professionals, disaster response organizations and tech companies to discuss how best to harness the communications power of new media to prepare and respond to crises.

The day-long event — whose agenda is here –will be open and broadcast on the internet (more information about the Summit can be found here). You can keep track and take part in the conference using several social media properties:

* It will be ustreamed live via the NextGenWeb site. Register on Eventbrite for ustream details. The archived U-Stream will be available online, too, and on the Emergency Social Data blog. C-SPAN will also be providing coverage of the event.

* You can participate in the Twitter discussion at the hashtag #crisisdata as well as add to or comment on the Summit’s aggregated information via the Emergency Social Data Wiki. There will be a formal Twitter chat at 1 p.m. EDT/10 a.m. PDT featuring questions from @ntenhross and @ikepigott.

* In person attendees will update their observations and impressions via the Whrrl Emergency Social Data Society .

I will be attending the Summit and will be writing it up on the blog.

The Red Cross will be publishing a White Paper “The Case For Integrating Crisis Response With Social Media,” based on the Summit’s discussions (The early chapters have already been posted in advance on the Social Data blog to help frame the event’s agenda — I recommend taking a look at them as they provide a good overview/history of the subject.)

American Red Cross’ Social Media Director Wendy Harman doing a walkthrough at the Hall of Service in Washington where the Emergency Crisis Data Summit will take place Thursday.

As 25th Birthday Approaches, Is It Time To Reevaluate CERT’s Role, Management, Training, Resources, Etc.?

2010-04-23T06:39:00.000-07:00

As 25th Birthday Approaches, Is It Time To Reevaluate CERT’s Role, Management, Training, Resources, Etc.?: "

There was an interesting and provocative post yesterday by Mark Chubb in the Homeland Security Watch blog, “Volunteer Does Not Equal Free.” Chubb, a senior civil servant in an emergency management agency, writes about a recent meeting in which he heard feedback from local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer team leaders. He was struck by some of the frustration and even anger about the lack of support, guidance and gratitude that some of the participants expressed:

As a result of my reporting as well as first person experience here in New York, the need to reexamine the CERT program has been a regular theme of this blog. Though the CERT is good idea and members have made a definite impact in their communities, it is a resource not being used to its potential. Doing so, however, will not be easy. But in this the 25th year since the program was first conceived by the Los Angeles Fire Department it would seem to be an appropriate moment to take a new look at the program.

In his post, Chubb lays out both the possibilities and the challenges of CERT:

…teams have largely been left to organize and administer themselves. Team leaders receive little additional training and no formal mentoring. Anyone who receives training is welcome to play or not play according to their individual willingness to do so. No one is excluded from training due to age, physical ability, prior criminal history, or other limitations or associations. As such, our volunteer corps, although quite diverse, is not necessarily representative of all segments of our community, nor organized to instill confidence in those who do not participate.

From the outset, program managers and volunteers alike have assumed that in the event of a serious emergency, such as a major earthquake, the teams would deploy themselves without need of instructions or assignments from a central command authority. Their training would dictate the priorities and rules of engagement as situations warranted: Assess damage, identify and isolate hazards, organize bystanders and others, render assistance when able, communicate conditions and resource requirements to the nearest fire station, and follow the instructions of emergency responders when they arrive. Until recently, the system managed to get along in spite of itself.

But recently, as the community responded to the H1N1 pandemic by establishing community vaccination clinics, it became evident that things were not working as well as some of us had assumed or perhaps simply hoped.

Chubb says the pushback on the pandemic disclosed other more general concerns from the CERT volunteers:

For starters, people were reluctant to step forward. This sort of mission was not what they had in mind when they signed up for training. Others expressed concern that they would be exposed to the disease and might become ill themselves or transmit the illness to someone in their household who was otherwise vulnerable. And still others found it difficult to accommodate the commitment in already busy schedules crowded with other obligations.

All of these explanations seemed reasonable enough and were little cause for concern. What we did not expect was a backlash from some quarters that suggested we were taking advantage of our volunteers to provide free labor for something that the government had not adequately prepared for and which they considered could hardly be called an emergency. Others complained that they were being asked to come to the aid of others besides their neighbors since most clinics were organized in poor communities with inadequate access to health care and a high number of uninsured residents. And still others questioned whether we knew what we were doing at all since no one had prepared them for such responsibilities much less organized them to respond to such situations beforehand.

Chubb concludes:

…we as a larger community of emergency management and homeland security professionals and policy-makers have assumed for far too long that volunteer means free. This can be taken one or both of two ways: 1) free as in without cost and 2) without responsibility or accountability. As it turns out, neither assumption is correct.

The opportunity cost of ignoring volunteers in exchange for making investments in hardware and software rears its ugly head sooner or later. Eventually, disgruntled if not disorganized volunteers will, as ours did Monday night, remind you that the liveware — the people and relationships that make up a community — are assets to be invested in not just protected or neglected.

I think Chubb’s post helps explain both the promise of and problems with CERT. Government officials have promoted the program to tap the interest of the public to contribute and assist the authorities, particularly in emergencies. And in a number of ways, it has been successful as teams have been set up in communities across the U.S. But, as Chubb’s report helps show, there is a need to better elucidate what is the role of CERT, and what are the resources, training and management necessary to accomplish that. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has repeatedly expressed his enthusiasm for the CERT program. As CERT marks its 25th year, it is time for the Agency along with local partners to take a new look at the program for its next quarter century.

USFA Publications

2010-03-27T10:47:00.000-07:00

USFA Publications: "The U.S. Fire Administration provides free information resources in many formats, including books, pamphlets and DVD's and many of these are citizen-focused. You can use their online catalog to order from over 400 publications and other information products.

Some examples include:

Sesame Street Fire Safety Station Color and Learn
Is Your Home Fire Safe? Door Knob Hanger
Fire Safety Checklist for Older Adults

Happy reading!
Cathleen

ICS 300/400 Training in Ventura - April 5-8, 2010

2010-03-12T06:40:00.000-08:00

ICS 300/400 Training in Ventura - April 5-8, 2010: "

How long to survey your Neighborhood?

2010-02-17T06:36:00.001-08:00

The Mira Mesa CERT members got together on February 10th for a neighborhood survey by car drill. The goal was to determine how large of a residential section of Mira Mesa could be surveyed within thirty minutes using an automobile. The things we would want to identify during this type of search are which buildings are damaged and to what level, where are there road hazards or blockages, how will out of area responders (such as SDFD) get to various areas of Mira Mesa, and where would our CERT members best be used in the interim. The thirty-minute time limit assumed that the team did not have radios and needed to perform a physical check in with the Team Leader to update status and confirm that the team had not run into trouble.

The scenario we used was an major earthquake had struck on a weekday evening which meant that we would concentrate on residences rather than businesses. Since we had four people, we all got into my van after discussing the general search plan and discussing team member roles. Those roles included Driver, Navigator/Scribe, and Left and Right Spotters. We also discussed using three people (driver and two spotters) as an alternative to a four-person team. To give us a way to identify what level of “damage” the houses had, we used the number of cars (or other vehicles) in the driveway: one car – no immediately visible damage, two cars – minor damage, three or more cars – major damage. Cars on the street did not count and houses with no cars were considered unknown status. We got started about 6:30pm.

It was an eye-opening experience. The first challenge was apartments – there was no way to get an accurate assessment in a short period of time. Driving and Navigation quickly became a full-time jobs as we tried to wind our way through residential streets and cul-de-sacs. The pot holes from our recent rains did create real (although very minor) hazards and the Navigator had to find a route which minimized backtracking and loss of time. Our spotters did a great job identifying and categorizing houses for “damage” but we found that 15 miles per hour was the fastest we could go and still get a good count. By the time we hit our 30-minute “check-in time” limit, we had covered about half of the area I had expected to cover and that was without any route-stopping roadblocks or “victims” on the street to slow us down. According to my maps, we covered a 1/4 square mile area (about ½ mile on each side).

Lessons learned:

1) A four-person team is required to do this kind of survey. There is too much to do for any fewer people without major delays to the search.

2) The Navigator likely cannot be the Scribe due to overloading. Each Spotter would have to keep records of their damage assessments with the Navigator calling out street names so the Spotter can add them to add to their notes.

3) A radio with enough range for the survey area would allow the teams to extend their search time, allow immediate status updates and call for additional team members if the situation warrants it. Either the Driver or Navigator should be able to handle the radio duties without overloading.

4) A handheld GPS unit might be used to mark locations by dropping way points on its map grid and incorporating them in the Spotter’s notes.

5) An initial survey for major roadway access is key to all other responders arriving on-scene. This can be accomplished both by the “intelligence” gathered from team members as they check in with the Logistics people and reporting what they saw on the way to the rally point (both roadway access and building damage) and by actual survey of routes that remained in an unknown status.

6) Communities laid out in a grid-type street pattern could probably searched more quickly than the area we selected. However, if you want a quick assessment of damage, you will have to have a large number of survey teams conducting surveys simultaneously in multiple areas of the community.

Some Winter Safety Tips from USFA

2009-12-24T08:47:00.000-08:00

Some Winter Safety Tips from USFA: "This is from the Family Preparedness Newsletter:

Winter is an especially dangerous time for home fires, as space heaters, holiday lights and candles get more use - it is no surprise that fires in the home are more common between December and February. The U.S. Fire Administration is part of the Department of Homeland Security, and their Web site has a wealth of information to help make this holiday season both warm and safe:

Fire Safety Tips: [ http://www.firesafety.gov/citizens/firesafety/index.shtm ]

Never underestimate your children's curiosity about fire [ http://www.usfaparents.gov/matches/ ]. Strongly discourage casual contact with matches and lighters.
Have smoke detector [ http://www.firesafety.gov/citizens/alarms/index.shtm ] on every floor of your home, and test them every month.
Sadly, two-thirds of home fires that kill children under age 5 occur in homes without a working smoke alarm. [ http://www.usfaparents.gov/alarms/ ]
Devise a home fire escape plan [ http://www.usfaparents.gov/escape/ ] and practice it with your family.
Change your smoke detector batteries when you change your clocks.
Learn about residential sprinkler systems [ http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/home_fire_prev/sprinklers/ ].
When traveling, search this database for Hotel/Motel Fire-Safe List. [ http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/applications/hotel/ ]

Resources:

The U.S. Fire Administration provides informative resources [ https://www.usfa.dhs.gov/applications/publications/ ] in many formats, including books, pamphlets and DVD's, *free of charge**.*
Click here [ http://www.usfaparents.gov/materials/ ] for a fact sheet on fire safety for babies and toddlers in multiple languages.
Click here [ http://www.firesafety.gov/kids/index.shtm ] for kid-friendly projects and information about children and fire safety.

Also, we have posted about the hazards of dry trees in the past but if you decorate with a live tree, be sure to keep it watered -- here is a link to a video for how fast a dry tree can get engulfed in flames.

Cathleen

Citizen Corps News: Citizen Corps Announces New Social Media Tools

2009-11-22T06:58:00.000-08:00

Citizen Corps News: Citizen Corps Announces New Social Media Tools: "

Citizen Corps Widgets: www.citizencorps.gov/widgets/

Widgets are web tools that can be put on your webpage, blog, and social media sites. Citizen Corps' widgets are free and display information provided by FEMA's Community Preparedness Division through continually updated data feeds. Citizen Corps widgets are easily placed on your web page by copying the code of the widget and placing it within the html code of your web site's editor. CitizenCorps.gov currently offers three widgets in several sizes:

Citizen Corps Logo Widget

This widget provides quick links to Citizencorps.gov and FEMA's email updates during disasters webpage.

Community Preparedness News Widget

This widget provides regularly updated community preparedness news from FEMA's Community Preparedness Division.

Are You Ready? Widget

This widget enables users to search for Citizen Corps Councils and partners close to them.

Citizen Corps Web Banners: www.citizencorps.gov/councils/banners.shtm

Web banners are graphic files that can be used by individuals to link from their website to CitizenCorps.gov. These banners are free and are available in several styles and sizes.

Citizen Corps RSS Feeds: www.citizencorps.gov/rss/

RSS feeds provide subscribers with automated updated information through user-defined applications without having to continually visit CitizenCorps.gov. These RSS feeds can be imported into self-made widgets and many other social media sites. CitizenCorps.gov currently offers two RSS feeds:

National Community Preparedness News Feed

This RSS feed provides users with the latest Community Preparedness news and events from various departments of the Federal Government and our National Citizen Corps Partners and Affiliates. The goal of this feed is to provide our users with one National-level feed to receive up-to-date information on individual and community preparedness issues, events, and best practices.

Local Citizen Corps in the News Feed

This RSS feed provides users with information on activities and events of Citizen Corps Councils, Partners, and Affiliates from across the nation. The goal of this feed is to share community preparedness and Citizen Corps best practices and lessons learned.

Citizen Corps Twitter: www.twitter.com/citizen_corps

Twitter is a Microblog that gives FEMA's Community Preparedness Division the opportunity to provide users with specific community preparedness information in a timely manner. Current followers of the Citizen Corps account include Citizen Corps Councils and partners, the emergency management community, and the general public.

Citizen Corps News Emails: www.citizencorps.gov/subscribe.shtm

Citizen Corps also promotes transparent communication and collaboration through using an email subscription service that allows any visitor to the CitizenCorps.gov website to register to receive Citizen Corps News updates and to receive updates during disasters in their local area.

FEMA FaceBook: www.facebook.com/fema

Citizen Corps regularly contributes to the FEMA Facebook page to provide disaster preparedness information to the general public and information on how citizens can get involved in preparing their communities.

Sincerely,

The National Office of Citizen Corps
FEMA Community Preparedness Division

Disposable soft Go Stretcher for just $19 - that's right under twenty dollars!

2009-11-14T08:11:00.000-08:00

The GO Stretcher can be used in the following ways:

As a Disposable Emergency Stretcher for everyday use.

As a Disposable Emergency Stretcher for Mass Causality and Disaster Preparedness.

As a Disposable Backboard cover and Strapping Support System

As a Disposable Patient Transfer System to move the patient from the backboard to the hospital gurney.

As a Disposable Gurney Sheet.

As a Search and Rescue Gurney.

As a Disposable Patient Transfer System to move the patient from the bed to a chair and back.

As a Seated Patient Evacuation System

Product Specifications:

Will hold over 500-lb load capacity.

Features (10) large hand holds which allow for easy patient handling and ease of product use.

Lowest cost Emergency Stretcher available today.

Water resistant coated woven polyethylene provides strength and durability.

Latex free.

Stretcher size with handles is 35" x71 "

Individually packaged and labeled, comes (50) units per case or sold individually.

Here's a link to the webpage. http://www.lifemedicalsupplier.com/disposable-soft-go-stretcher-ref-305100ds-p-366.html

CERT National Newsletter is now available

2009-11-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

The CERT National Program Office is pleased to announce that Volume 2, Issue 3 of the CERT National Newsletter is now posted on the CERT National website. Click on the following link to access the new edition: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/newsletter.shtm {editor's note: this issue includes the Palomar Mountain, AMGEN Tour of California bike race where our San Diego County CERT's helped out}.

We hope you enjoy this issue of the newsletter and the stories about how CERT programs around the country are engaging in drills and exercises to maintain and enhance CERT members’ skills. From regional CERT Olympics in Texas and a regional CERT rodeo in Oregon and Washington State, to the AMGEN Tour of California bicycle race, to search and rescue exercises in Ohio and Virginia, and more, CERTs around the country are finding innovative and interesting ways to train.

The issue also features a request for CERT programs to submit their own drills and exercises for inclusion in upcoming publications from the CERT National Program Office.

If you know of others who would be interested in receiving CERT news and updates, please have them subscribe at the following website: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/subscribe.shtm. Thank you.

Sincerely,
CERT National Program Office
Community Preparedness Division
Federal Emergency Management Agency

New Product: GlovePaq™

2009-10-10T16:13:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to a product called GlovePaq which I found at the Mira Mesa Home Depot for under six dollars!
GlovePaq™

It allows you to clip 5 pairs of Nitrile Gloves to your belt, Go-Bag, vest or even put in a pocket so that they are always handy. They dispense one glove at a time, cuff first and are made of medical grade Nitrile which are tougher that latex gloves. The dispenser comes with a refill pack, so you actually get 10 pairs of gloves for one low price.

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

2009-09-26T07:54:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-25T06:34:00.000-07:00

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

Scanning documents for your Emergency Survival Kit

2009-09-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2009-09-20T07:23:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Good general introduction to what CERT does.

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

"Are You Ready?"

2009-09-07T11:42:00.000-07:00

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"

2009-09-07T11:19:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-04T14:16:00.000-07:00

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.

Radio Ojai Interview on Ojai OK Drill

2009-09-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

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

-------------------------------------------------------

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

2009-09-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

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!

Government Reevaluating Ready.Gov Preparedness Recommendations For Public: “Get A Plan” Getting More Emphasis, “Get A Kit” Getting Less, “Get Trained” Getting New Attention

2009-08-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

Government Reevaluating Ready.Gov Preparedness Recommendations For Public: “Get A Plan” Getting More Emphasis, “Get A Kit” Getting Less, “Get Trained” Getting New Attention: "

U.S. officials are reevaluating the government’s original post-9/11 Ready.Gov citizen preparedness recommendations and in public statements are already reprioritizing what they are urging Americans to do to prepare for disasters.

It means that Ready.Gov’s “Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed” framework — which has been used by many federal, state and local preparedness sites since its launch six years ago — will likely get an overhaul. “We are taking a look at the website content,” Ready’s Acting Director Rebecca Marquis said last week.

Though changes have yet to be made on the Ready.Gov site, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has already been altering the Ready citizen preparedness message in a number of recent appearances. He has been urging people to “make a plan”, but has been omitting mention of a getting a (supply) kit. An example is the video (below) shot in the new Los Angeles Emergency Operations Center from FEMA’s website earlier this month in which he urges Americans to “get a plan, get trained.”

FEMA HEAD CRAIG FUGATE TALKS ABOUT PREPAREDNESS IN LOS ANGELES EOC EARLIER THIS MONTH (ABOVE)

The changes come as many in the preparedness community have expressed concern that asking Americans to create a 72-hour supply kit may be too difficult financially and logistically. By contrast making a family plan, Fugate has said, doesn’t cost anything.

The current “Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Informed” approach came out of an effort in the years after 9/11 to standardize and simplify the preparedness message to the public. While the Ready.Gov messaging has definitely made some awareness inroads with the public, I have found a general consensus in the preparedness field area that revising and augmenting the approach would be helpful. FEMA will be working with the Red Cross and other partners in developing the changes.

I think it is a great idea to take a new look at Ready.Gov and other preparedness messaging. My major suggestion, as I have written on the blog, is that any communications overhaul be done as part of an overall strengthening of the government’s citizen preparedness effort, because there is a limit to what even the most effective information campaign alone can do in changing public behavior.

New Survey Says 64% Of Americans Would Take A 20-Hour Training Course To Help Their Community Recover From Disasters; Citizen Corps Study Also Shows Many People Expecting Too Much Of Responders In Major Emergency

2009-08-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

New Survey Says 64% Of Americans Would Take A 20-Hour Training Course To Help Their Community Recover From Disasters; Citizen Corps Study Also Shows Many People Expecting Too Much Of Responders In Major Emergency: "

Almost two-thirds (64%) of Americans say they would be willing to take a 20-hour training class to assist their community recover from disasters, according to a new survey released by the U.S. Citizen Corps. Initial results of “Personal Preparedness In America, were announced by Citizen Corps Director Karen Marsh at the National Conference on Community Preparedness this week in Arlington, Virginia.

The 64% figure was striking to me, because it points out an interest of many Americans to become more knowledgeable in emergency preparedness/response (and it is a question that isn’t often polled). Twenty hours is the standard amount of training to become qualified as a member of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). That’s not to say that two-thirds of the population want to join the CERT program, but it does seem to indicate that a lot of Americans would be amenable to some sort of disaster education/training — maybe held in their workplace, house of worship, social club, etc.

Another interesting finding in the study is that a major impediment for people getting prepared is that they believe emergency responders will take care of them in a disaster (despite the warnings of the responders themselves that they can’t handle everyone, particularly in the first 72 hours). According to the survey:

From a list of possible reasons why individuals had not prepared, 30 percent of individuals indicated that a primary reason they had not prepared was because they believed that emergency personnel would help them in the event of a disaster. Further, 61 percent of participants indicated they expected to rely on emergency responders in the first 72 hours following a disaster.

The Citizen Corps, which is part of the FEMA’s Community Preparedness Division, has been measuring the public’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors on preparedness since 2003. I previously wrote about the 2007 survey which was released earlier this year. This updated report includes surveying fielded in the Spring; some of the initial results were released at the Conference. The rest of the data and further analysis will be presented at a later date. (n.b. the “training” question and 64% result is not in the report issued this week but was part of the presentation at the conference)

The survey is comprehensive and worth looking through for those interested in citizen preparedness research. Below are the “Summary And Recommendations”:

* Individuals’ high expectations of assistance from emergency responders may inhibit individual preparedness. Communicating more realistic expectations and personal responsibilities is critical.

* Too few people had stocked disaster supplies, and most supplies were incomplete. More emphasis is needed on the importance of stocking disaster supplies in multiple locations, and more specificity is needed on critical items to include, such as flashlights, radios, batteries, first aid kits, and personal documents.

* Greater appreciation for the importance of household plans and knowledge of local community emergency procedures and response resources is needed. Individuals who reported being prepared lacked critical plans and information.

* Practicing response protocols is critical for effective execution. Greater emphasis on drills and exercises is needed.

* An awareness of vulnerabilities to natural disasters motivates individuals to prepare. Most individuals, however, did not believe their communities will ever be affected by any type of disaster.

* Perceptions of the utility of preparedness and confidence in ability to respond varied significantly by type of hazard. Because all-hazards messaging may dilute critical differences in preparedness and response protocols, preparedness and response education should include a focus on hazard-specific actions appropriate for each community.

* Social networks, such as households, neighborhoods, the workplace, schools, and faith-based communities, and the concepts of mutual support should be emphasized

* Focusing on individuals in the contemplation and preparation stages for personal preparedness may yield greater results. Messaging and community outreach efforts should be designed to support those already considering taking action. Individuals’ strong interest in attending training courses and volunteering should be harnessed through social networks. Training and volunteer service should be linked with a responsibility for educating and encouraging others to prepare.

* Specific sociodemographic characteristics correlated with attitudes toward and actions for preparedness. Insights into these differences offer the ability to tailor outreach efforts to targeted audiences.

* Individuals believed they had a personal responsibility to report suspicious behavior but greater collaboration between citizens and law enforcement is needed.

The survey was conducted by ICF Macro’s Carol S. Freeman who has done the previous Citizen Corps research and is a (if not the) leading opinion researcher in the area of citizen preparedness.

At the Citizens Corps conference, I had an opportunity to talk to some local emergency officials about the 64% finding. Below is a brief interview I did with San Francisco Fire Department Lt. Erica Arteseros, who coordinates the city’s Neighborhood Emergency Response Team program (CERT is called NERT in SF). In the video, she says government need to capitalize on the interest expressed in the poll.

San Francisco NERT coordinator Lt. Erica Arteseros talks about the Citizen Corps survey.

Latest CERT National Newsletter Digest

2009-08-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

In this issue of the CERT newsletter, Volume 2, Issue 2, you will read about the Hamden, CONN CERT training on public safety officer rehabilitation and on-scene victim care. Another story "CERT Programs: Rural and Urban" describes the similarities CERT members receive in both locations and also the challenges both communities are faced with. The article on Teen CERT is a compilation of five individuals from across the country who conduct Teen CERT in their local communities.

Here's the link: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/newsletter.shtm

CERT National Newsletter

2009-04-30T07:26:00.000-07:00

Dear CERT Community,

The CERT National Program Office is pleased to announce the release of the April 2009 quarterly "CERT National Newsletter." This edition features stories on local CERT programs across the country and news and information from the CERT National Program Office. Click on the following link to read and download the newsletter: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/newsletter.shtm.

We hope you enjoy this newsletter. If you know of others who would be interested in receiving CERT National newsletters or CERT updates, please have them subscribe at the following website: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/subscribe.shtm.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
CERT National Program Office Community Preparedness Division
Federal Emergency Management Agency

Welcome to the Back Channel CERT Network

2009-03-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

If you are a CERT leader and would like be able to post messages on this blog, leave a comment with your details by clicking on the green link, just below this message, titled "Comments".

This blog is for local community's Community Emergency Response Team leaders. It has been created in order to promote direct communication between community team leaders in the spirit of "Let's get 'er done!" rather than waiting for someone, somewhere to...

Pass your message along
Filter/Edit/Standardize
Authorize
Approve with the Attorneys
Get the ______'s approval before... (pick your local stumbling block)
Or otherwise hold everything up until nothing gets done until too late!

Things that you are encouraged to post here:

Team Trainings which other team's members may also want to attend
CERT-oriented resources such as other CERT blogs or commercial websites
Direct communications procedures between teams, both emergency and non-emergency
Anything else that you think might help build CERT membership and readiness

Comments from anyone are always welcome but subject to moderation. The Posts themselves can only be made by Team Leaders after being added to the poster's list. Leaders who would like be able to post messages on this blog, leave a comment with your details by clicking on the green"Comments" link.

Team Meetings... Is there something better?

2009-03-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of our motto, “Practice like you mean it!”, Mira Mesa CERT no longer has team meeting in the classic sense. We have done that for a couple of years and have found that attendance dwindles because volunteers really don’t want to spend time sitting around just talking. No matter what presentations were made or matters discussed, people had a hard time making meetings. We changed locations, days and times and have never been able to find a “sweet-spot” were a majority of members could (or would) attend.

So what we are doing now is have a “call-out drill” on the 10th of every month, regardless of which day it falls on. The exact time of day depends on the day of the week it falls upon with weekdays tending towards after work hours. That way, no matter what anyone’s schedule is – there will be several that they should be able to make each year.

Here is how it works…

I send both a cellular text message and email to Mira Mesa CERT members approximately two hours before the rally. Members meet at the rally point or other designated area and get checked in and assigned duties according to their arrival times. We then perform a part or parts of an actual call-out: Search, S.T.A.R.T., Rescue, Triage, Transport, Medical Treatment, etc. Each drill runs about an hour and a half with about an hour of briefing and actual drilling. The drill is followed by a half hour or more of debriefing, discussing issues and ideas. We have had a lot of “ah-haw” moments because the drills have been in the dark (how do I write on a Triage card and hold a flashlight too?), on cold days (I should have had a jacket), which have made our team better prepared.

Mira Mesa CERT is happy to have members of other CERTs join us either to observe or participate. Email the Mira Mesa Team Leader for more info: tjwalt@yahoo.com. Be sure to mention CERT in the title or I might miss your email.