Community Emergency Response Team Training

Our Team

The Community Emergency Response Team, CERT for short, had its origins 35 years ago in the Los Angeles Fire Department. The idea came out of the realization that citizens are invariably on their own, at least in the initial stages, in any major catastrophe. The LAFD program developed so successfully that the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) funded its expansion in the mid '90s to cover all contemplated public hazards.
When George W. instigated the nationwide Citizens Corps in 2003, to better prepare communities to cope with terrorism, public health breakdowns, weather driven disasters and the like, CERT was among the primary tools chosen to meet such challenges. In pursuit of this, 13 volunteers, including 11 from the park, spent 2-1/2 days last week in a whirlwind of classroom and practical activities to become certified CERT Members.

Enthusiastic Fire Fighting?

How fortunate for the rest of us that, in the event of a tornado strike, hurricane, sweeping brush fire, earthquake, chemical spill or any other disaster, we now have neighbors who can respond professionally and appropriately. The students learned how to identify hazardous materials, extinguish various fire types, identify injury types, perform search and rescue, when to move a victim, how to deal with life threatening injuries, setting up triage and  generally manage the disaster site until First Responders reach the scene. Each attendee was furnished with an emergency pack containing numerous invaluable and potentially critical items in the event of an event.

"Goody" bag and contents

"Our" team members are

• Debbie Branigan
• Pat Branigan
• Alan Campbell
• Marlene Campbell
• Marian Harrison
• Joan Imhoff
• Jesse McPhearson
• Nancy Moran
• Jo Morton
• Bob Ring
• Gail Ring

Everyone, including Brian Gibson the instructor, appeared to have a good time in addition to acquiring valuable lifelong and life preserving skills. Many of the attendees are going on to earn their CPR (CardioPulmonary Resuscitation) and AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) certification. While we hope that none of these skills will ever be exercised in earnest we should all be grateful to have these giving people in our community. Picture show for Visitors (G Rated). Picture show for Participants (R Rated).