Posted: 11/17/2007 5:26:35 AM EDT
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Any members CERT trained? What's involved from the trainees standpoint? Do you feel it was worth it and that you are more useful, or that you just wasted your time and got your name on another .gov list...? any opinions or help appreciated. Thanks, FL^ |
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Yes, I think it is worth it for a lot of reasons. I've been involved in CERT for 4 years now in my county and I really like it. It's not perfect but depending on how involved you get or how your director is motivated you can do a lot of good for yourself, family and neighborhood. (No this isn't a Citizen's Corps commercial either). How so? For instance, I've been through my city's Citizen's Police class mainly to get to know some of the officers, their day to day operations - our CERT team has worked with the city police on a couple occassions for traffic control. They (the chief of police) would like us to help them more often. A local hospital we meet at, has us on their emergency mobilization list to assist them if they need to activate a emergency field hospital. Our county CERT team has helped with cleanup in a Flood area in Ottowa, Ohio and our city. I've recieved training in areas that would have cost a couple hundred dollars out of my pocket for free, both online and in person classes. OR you can look at it this way. Depending on how involved you get, you could make some great contacts/friends/networking within Red Cross, the EMA, Police, Fire, Ambulance services that just might get you enough recognization during a disaster to get help quicker, out of a situation going down the tubes or even possibly get a pre-warning of a event. You also could even find people within the organization who are of like mind and may even be able to pull some people together into a small group or mutual assistance group. They took the class in the first place because they want to a) help or b) learn to get more prepared I've found. Sure in some places it's not perfect, some places I hear it's just another way for the city to get more homeland defense money to pad their general fund - I have to laugh everytime the 'name on another list' comes up. At this point in life I don't care what lists I'm on because I'm on a list for something - oh well. If something does happen and my name pops up on someone's list or recognize my ID, I hope it's recognized as, "Hey - this guy can help us here.." instead of.. "Okay, you're #5472 and that's your cot over in the middle of the superdome..move on". |
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ITS ALL GONE THANKS largebore45......well i think i just found a way of off loading some of my stuff..im a firefighter and i had to get inst. cert. to teach CERT in our dist., i have some CERT bags,helmets,books,ect... if any of you guys would like it just let me know, it will cost you NOTHING. just get me your shipping info and ill send you all i have for CERT.. if your interested just email me through the site.. 
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Sig, I'd be interested in any C.E.R.T. gear you would care to part with. I am C.E.R.T. trained and active as a member. I'm also active on a Red Cross Disaster Action Team. I would have sent this by IM; but, you are not allowing site IM's. To the OP, the training was definitely worth it. It has come in handy for me on a couple of deployments with the Red Cross. I have not yet had to use it on a local disaster, thankfully. |
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The training is definitely worth having. It may be the ticket into a disaster area for those who wouldn't normally be able to get in. I'm an instructor now and really enjoy teaching the classes. Lots of valuable info and if you get involved you can get some free gear. --Scott |
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Well worth it IF you realize your role in the grander scheme of things. Great way to give back to the community when disaster strikes. Our OEM director is a good guy, early on the town admin wanted CERT members tasked with directing traffic at events, I refused as that was LEO over time and I had no desire to be free labor at a planned event. Once I explained it he agreed. Don't rely on contents of the mystical green CERT bag OR you will a liability for others. I've gone to a larger duffel bag to hold: better flashlights, rain gear, a balaclava in with a change of clothes, water bottle, power bars, pry bar, adjustable wrench for gas shut offs, volleyball knee pads, Sharpie markers, 2 pair of gloves and a few higher end dust masks. Our OEM director allows skater or Kayaking helmets as long as they are painted CERT green. |
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I enjoyed the 8 session basic CERT training and the final exercise. BTW it is very important in the exercise to know your limits. If you are not up to carrying people, then do not carry people! We had multiple people in medical for real in our final exercise with failed backs, and other injuries. Luckily, medical was staffed with real EMTs and emergency room nurses. If you want to see a student incident commander panic just ask which count he wants first, the exercise #s or the real injury counts in medical.  We also had people that knew their limits (trouble walking) and were put to work keeping counts, watching the lowest priority injured, handing logistics, recording whom left on ambulances or to the morgue, etc. I'm told it is not typical, but my CERT supplied duffel bag is quite large and filled with medial supplies (bandages, gloves, cardboard splints etc). I have a second shoulder bag with other stuff that I'm purchasing (head lamp, clothing, mechanics gloves, knee pads...). I'm especially enjoying the follow on courses that my CERT pays for, and the free online classes. I have taken the new "Red Cross Sheltering for partner agencies" which was interesting. Incident Command Systems was boring, but teaches more of the nomenclature. I've got CPR refresher coming up complete with AED and ET tubing. I also volunteered for Search and Rescue class, and Chainsaw class.  We learn CPR because CERT sets up a First Aid tent, and joins police/EMTs on patrol during town events (4th of july) both for visibility, and on the job training of dealing with medical emergencies in crowds. RR |