CERT Disaster Drill 10/03/2009
This year’s Calhoun County CERT disaster drill will be held October 3, 2009. It will be in the same spot as it was last time, for those who participated last year. Below you will find the address and I have attached a map as well. Russ Wilson was kind enough to also give us the GPS coordinates.
For those who did not attend last year, the drill is held at the Wolverine State Coon Hunter Club. It is located at 22836 12 Mile Rd
(BC) with the clubhouse just East of the CN North America RR Tracks.
GPS coordinates:
N. 42? 24.187' (by)
W 085? 03.706' (+/- 10')
{Elevation @ ~ 846' above Sea Level}
We are going to have a staggered response this year. If I do not contact you directly you will need to report to this location at 12:00 noon on the day of the event. The drill should last until approximately 2:00 p.m.
We have had a lot of volunteers for patients this year and they will be in full moulage so please dress in clothing appropriate for the weather (as this will be held rain, shine, snow, or sleet, but hopefully sunshine), and know that they may get moulage paint on them.
Food and water will be provided. Also, everyone who participates will
receive a Calhoun County CERT baseball hat. Also, we will be having a
drawing for a wind up weather radio. It is a very nice radio that can be used with or without batteries.
I look forward to seeing everyone there. You will be receiving more info on the drill in the next week. Please contact me with any questions and if at all possible, please reply to this email to advise if you will be able to attend or not.
Thank you and have a great day
Lori A. Phillips,
PEM, CCEMT-P, I/C, ES4 Volunteer Coordinator E-Team Trainer/Coordinator
Calhoun County Office of Emergency Management
lphillips@calhouncountymi.gov
269-275-1658
For those who did not attend last year, the drill is held at the Wolverine State Coon Hunter Club. It is located at 22836 12 Mile Rd
(BC) with the clubhouse just East of the CN North America RR Tracks.
GPS coordinates:
N. 42? 24.187' (by)
W 085? 03.706' (+/- 10')
{Elevation @ ~ 846' above Sea Level}
We are going to have a staggered response this year. If I do not contact you directly you will need to report to this location at 12:00 noon on the day of the event. The drill should last until approximately 2:00 p.m.
We have had a lot of volunteers for patients this year and they will be in full moulage so please dress in clothing appropriate for the weather (as this will be held rain, shine, snow, or sleet, but hopefully sunshine), and know that they may get moulage paint on them.
Food and water will be provided. Also, everyone who participates will
receive a Calhoun County CERT baseball hat. Also, we will be having a
drawing for a wind up weather radio. It is a very nice radio that can be used with or without batteries.
I look forward to seeing everyone there. You will be receiving more info on the drill in the next week. Please contact me with any questions and if at all possible, please reply to this email to advise if you will be able to attend or not.
Thank you and have a great day
Lori A. Phillips,
PEM, CCEMT-P, I/C, ES4 Volunteer Coordinator E-Team Trainer/Coordinator
Calhoun County Office of Emergency Management
lphillips@calhouncountymi.gov
269-275-1658
CERT GAMES SITREP (recommended practices)
-----Original Message-----
From: Lori Phillips [mailto:lphillips@calhouncountymi.gov]
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 8:49 AM
Subject: CERT Games
Below is the After Action Report from the CERT games that were held last weekend. It looks like it was a great opportunity for those who attended. We will be attending the games next year. I will send out the dates as soon as I get them. I think it will be a great activity for us and I am sure we will have a good time.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Lori
After Action Report – May 15 & 16, 2009
CERT Games – Michigan State Police Training Academy
7426 N Canal Rd, Lansing, MI 48913
Executive Summary: The CERT Games is an annual event organized to
maintain enthusiasm and develop familiarity / networking amongst Michigan CERT teams. Focus is placed on individual and team safety and creative problem solving.
Exercise Overview: The event was hosted by Kevin Sweeney (MSP), Matt Blythe
(MSP) and Brad Smith (Dearborn FD). Judges for the event were MAJ Linda Oswalt (MIVDF), CPL Scott Deykes (MIVDF) and PV2 Ron Mesic (MIVDF).
Represented
teams included Ann Arbor, Kent County, Dearborn, Lansing, Kalamazoo
The teams were divided into East & West ‘conferences’, with Lansing taking the honors for the West, and Dearborn taking both the East and Overall win.
(Note PVT Stephen Donnelly of the MIVDF was acting team captain for the Lansing team.) This was a very difficult event to judge – each team brought surprising strengths and creative solutions. As a judge, I learned something from every team that went through the scenario.
A house was used as a simulated tornado event location - each CERT team was deployed to the building to provide aid. Victim actors were staged in the same location and acted the same injury for each team to ensure consistency.
Two victims were staged to create a challenge - one was trapped in a position blocking the primary walkway through the main room, the next was staged at the foot of a stairway. This yielded a puzzle for the participants to solve – you should not step over a victim, particularly on a stairway, so you need to move this person prior to completing your search. You should never carry one victim over another trapped victim, so you need to move the person trapped in the main area walkway first. This effectively derailed most teams search efforts – only two teams found all of the victims in the house. Note that if the teams had proceeded to complete the first floor search before solving the 2 person puzzle and proceeding upstairs, they would have found a few staged options for serving as a backboard or patient transport.
The building was filled with fog machine fog to simulate dust. Each team was given an identical briefing and instructed to report to the area incident commander. Overall scenario was that several 4 person teams were deployed to individual houses in the affected zone – our exercise represented only one team’s efforts.
Exercise Goals & Objectives: MIVDF participation goals were to support the overall CERT mission through participation, continue networking with others involved in CERT and represent the MIVDF for recruiting opportunities.
Event
goals & objectives were to provide a networking / teambuilding environment to further interest and participation in the CERT program.
Exercise Events Synopsis & Observations:
- Remember that Boots are part of the required safety gear, remember that the face mask is part of your protection against not just dust but patients’
bodily fluids.
- Teams that had blankets / sheets / tarps had a much easier time moving injured people.
- Several teams made signage for triage areas in advance – good idea, but a little challenging with the limitations of a drill. If participants could have used duct tape, the signs would stay put in the breeze. I didn’t notice any teams using streamers of triage tape to mark the triage areas. Having some kind of a stick you can push into the ground and tie a triage tape streamer to might be a good expedient solution.
- Never to
complete your search in time to find the person with an obstructed airway or heavy bleeding you know the judges have placed in the scenario where you will likely find them last... some people are tricky like that.
- In this scenario there were two carefully positioned victims – one trapped on the middle of the walkway in the main room and one collapsed at the bottom of the stairwell on the same floor. In order to move the one blocking the stairs, you basically had to either move the one blocking the main area first or figure out how to open another exit out of the building.
- www.weatherwriterusa.com – very handy weather shielded clipboard helped the judges greatly as there was a misty rain for most of the event. The retail price on the 8.5 X 12 version is $32.98.
- Communication was not a category on the judging sheets, but it was an “interwoven theme” through almost all of the categories. Good radio use, good attention to keeping incident command informed was noticed by the judges.
- A recurring problem with drills – we need to provide a stage for participants to demonstrate their skills. Not moving a person with a possible spine injury is usually a good decision, and there is a problem for a CERT scenario where if the structure / area was so unsafe so as to make risky transport of a possible broken neck the right course of action, it wouldn’t be safe enough for CERT volunteers to be there... I think that the California / Australia wildfires, Hawaii Volcanic flows and possibly rising flood waters are good “motivators” to explain how its safe for CERT now, but you have to get everyone evacuated or else.
- This event was time limited to 25 minutes. None of the teams were completely wrapped-up, all finished, nothing left to do in that time frame – everyone was being thorough and “owning the problem”.
- A few magazines or some sheets of corrugated cardboard would make effective splinting for many smaller bone breaks – but double broken femurs will always be difficult to manage.
- Remember the basics – if you have blue painter’s tape for a drill, you can actually mark your search entries & exits as you might be doing with paint, duct tape or lumber crayons in a real disaster. (Marking is tricky for a drill – you shouldn’t damage property by marking it, but you need to be sure the judges understand what you are doing if you simulate something.)
- One team had a multi-tier tool box for their reserve supplies. When I saw them rolling it out to the scene, I wasn’t sure how it would be used...
but
as a handy & well organized “supply box” for materials that are left at the triage area or at incident command, it looked like it had a lot of merit. Even if left closed, it made a handy little table.
- Not that I would encourage carrying extra weight around in your pack, think about the things you do carry for use as a paperweight. The weatherproof clipboards mentioned earlier also did a great job of keeping the papers from fluttering in the breeze. Think of all of your gear in use during a downpour with near-storm winds, because disasters rarely wait for a clear & sunny day.
- All teams did more than a little improvising. In this scenario there were at least four good props hiding in the property for use as a stretcher or back board. Teams that finished gathering information about the whole situation and what materials are available wound up having a much easier time improvising.
- Work with the simulations – very few teams noticed & appropriately protected the impaled object. Applying pressure with a bandage would have pushed the object further into the wound.
- Be sure to solicit information wherever possible – it is part of your continuous size-up effort. Ask people on scene about the utilities, about the weather, about any possible threats. Ask each “victim” about other victims, what happened, what they saw, how long it has been since the event, et cetethat good decisions can be made based on good information.
Analysis of Mission Outcomes: Mission objectives were met. Better participation would have improved results.
Analysis of Critical Task Performance:
Task number and description - Judging the event required two judges (one attached to each 2 person team and one roving observer. The roving observer was a requirement as one of the judges had a prior relationship with one of the teams and could not act as a judge for that team. Judges were provided sheets with bullet points to focus on. As skills were demonstrated, notes were logged and points assigned during the judges review session following each scenario.
Issue number and description - none
References - none
Summary - This event resulted in a three way tie for first place, judges were required to re-evaluate their assignments to ensure they were balanced over all instances and between judges. In reality, some of the teams performed very well and were largely equivalent.
Consequence - One team was observed demonstrating relatively average scoring on the event - they were already a team with training and methodology not coincident with CERT. They did not score poorly because they did not do good things for the victims, but because they acted more in line with their other training. This is a potential concern for MIVDF because of the very distinct difference in authority and command structures between "active duty" and "CERT".
Analysis - I believe the objectives of the event were met both for the event organizers and the MIVDF. Strongly recommend MIVDF seeks opportunities to practice and develop CERT team cohesiveness - good communication and leadership made the difference between the good teams and the great teams.
Recommendation - Recommend MIVDF 1) devotes time at each or most meetings for break-out sessions enabling the CERT trained members to organize, plan & prepare and 2) seek opportunities to engage with other CERT teams for training, networking and recruiting purposes.
Improvement Action - Judges should improve the checklist with specific point values for each skill to be demonstrated to ensure all judges’ ratings are as impartial and accurate as possible. Suggest adding a “Communication and Documentation” scoring category.
Two recommendations for an overall competition or drill theme would be “The CERT Gauntlet” and “Beat the clock”.
The CERT Gauntlet:
Arrange several stations where a basic CERT skill is demonstrated. Each
2
man team runs the gauntlet accumulating points for their overall team.
(If
each team has 8 members, they send 4 pairs through the gauntlet one at a
time.)
For example:
1. “here is a door to a building to be searched, show me what you
do”
a. 1 point for checking for heat, bottom up
b. 1 point for using the back of the hand
c. 1 point for putting on a leather glove prior to grasping the
door
knob
d. 2 points for announcing “Volunteer Responder, I’m here to help”,
1
point for just saying “CERT” – because not everyone knows what CERT is.
e. 2 points for executing voice triage
f. up to 2 bonus points for getting information about the
conditions
inside verbally prior to entry
2. Entering the room, find an evaluator – stand for safety gear
inspection
a. 2 points if mask is covering mouth & nose, 1 point if mask is
readily available
b. 2 points for eye protection in place
c. 2 points for helmet
d. 2 points for appropriate footwear
e. 2 points for wearing gloves
f. 2 points for proper reflective vest
g. up to 4 bonus points for wearing rubber gloves under the leather
gloves or other improved measures (marker lights, knee / elbow pads, “tough”
clothing – anything improving their survivability and visibility)
3. Moving to the next area, find 20 or more lunch bags obags have rocks or other paperweights. Instructor tells the team that
someone reported there may be a victim under this rubble – demonstrate how you would determine where to dig.
a. 2 points for demonstrating triangulation method
b. 4 points for finding the bag with the radio on the first try
c. 3 points for finding the bag with the radio on the second try
d. 2 points for finding the bag with the radio on the third try
e. 1 point for finding the bag with the radio on the fourth try
4. Upon entering the next room / area, inform the team that
floodwaters
have blocked off their return to base and they are instructed to shelter where they are “as best they can”. Instruct them that they are outdoors and the weather is autumn mild.
a. 2 points for recognizing they would need to seek or create
shelter
b. 2 points for checking if it is safe to start a fire in the area
c. --- this is more of an interview exercise than a demonstration,
but
if they say “I pitch my tent”, they have to have a tent with them. The point for this should be looking for CERT principles, safety focus and creative problem solving, not advanced camping and orienteering skills.
5. Upon arriving at the next area, team is informed that they must
relieve the medical staff in the triage area. Have at least three victims lined up with need of secondary triage and treatment.
a. 4 points for re-checking everyone’s status upon arrival – don’t
assume prior triage was correct, don’t assume a condition didn’t degrade
b. 2 points for demonstrating bandaging around an impaled object
c. 2 points for demonstrating body splinting (use good leg as a
splint
for a broken leg)
6. The Monty Hall stage
a. give one point for each item they can produce within 10 seconds –
a
band-aid, a mylar blanket, a AA battery, a weather band capable radio...
then – use less distinct descriptions – “something that could be used for a splint”, “something that could be used for a shelter”, etc (The items requested should be reasonable for a moderately equipped CERT responder to have on hand, and the 10 second limit is intended to demonstrate a well-ordered pack and knowledge of one’s gear.)
7. Cribbing demonstration (note – the judge will have to act as the
safety person and the other required cribbing team members will be imaginary for this demonstration.)
a. 2 points for demonstrating securing or ‘chocking’ against
slipping
before starting
b. 2 points for demonstrating proper cribbing technique
c. -4 points for extending hands / fingers under the load being
lifted
d. 2 bonus points for knowing how much weight a proper 4X4 cribbing
arrangement can support
8. Size up
a. 1 point for each size up element recited / known:
i. Gather facts.
ii. Assess and communicate the damage.
iii. Consider probabilities.
iv. Assess your own situation.
v. Establish priorities.
vi. Make decisions.
vii. Develop plans of action.
viii. Take action.
ix. Evaluate progress.
9. Signs of terrorism
10. Basic fire extinguisher use
a. 2 points – determine if fire size is appropriate
b. 2 points – approach as a close contact team one with eyes on the
fire, other with eyes on surroundings
c. 2 points – execute PASS technique
d. 2 points – back out with one team member watching the fire and
the
other watching where they are going
11. Head-to-toe assessment
12. Partner distance in varying environments
a. Dusty, smoky or trip-hazard environment = arm’s reach
b. Reasonably stable structure = same room
c. Outdoors = within visual and communication range (but must
remain
aware of partner’s location at all times) Note that team members may work at greater distances if using whistle or radio communicastation or a practical exercise station depending on available resources.
Each stage has a “judges discretionary fund” of points as well as safety demerits. Participants don’t lose points for not demonstrating the skill, but they can lose points for being unsafe either to themselves or their partner.
Beat the clock:
Prepare four cards for each victim: initial, + 5 minutes, +10 minutes and
+15 minutes or other appropriate time intervals based on the expected
duration of the event.
Each victim would present the conditions associated with the time elapsed unless intervention takes place.
For example: One victim would be in a position of having fallen unconscious with their head in an obstructed airway position. Initial card would let them know their breathing is zero, but pulse is regular and strong, repositioning airway results in patient regaining consciousness. +5 minutes card would indicate breathing is zero and pulse is very weak and thready, repositioning the airway at this point would manifest a breathing unconscious patient. +10 minutes would indicate zero breathing and zero pulse. +15 minutes may result in this patient taking on a new condition – they play the role of another victim.
Another victim presents a slowly bleeding wound – initial conditions are strong and stable, +5 minutes breathing is a little shallow, +10 minutes pulse becomes rapid, +15 minutes patient bleeds out.
Controller cards indicate other events: +5 minutes the building power returns, +10 minutes one Ambulance arrives capable of taking 2 patients,
+15
minutes second Ambulance arrives, et cetera.
Points are assigned based on how many victims survive.
Conclusion: Based on observations from this event I intend to revisit
my
kit to ensure I have the following items:
- CERT forms & clipboard
- multiple inexpensive tarps – perhaps three
- multiple triangle bandages – at least six
- garbage bags for hauling, making an otherwise dirty cushion, blanket or “found object” more acceptable as a splint, rain protection, something to sit / lie on in wet grass and of course, collecting garbage.
Future participation in similar events is strongly encouraged.
Lori A. Phillips, CCEMT-P, I/C, ES4
E-Team and Volunteer Coordinator
Calhoun County
Office of Emergency Management
lphillips@calhouncountymi.gov
269-275-1658
From: Lori Phillips [mailto:lphillips@calhouncountymi.gov]
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 8:49 AM
Subject: CERT Games
Below is the After Action Report from the CERT games that were held last weekend. It looks like it was a great opportunity for those who attended. We will be attending the games next year. I will send out the dates as soon as I get them. I think it will be a great activity for us and I am sure we will have a good time.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Lori
After Action Report – May 15 & 16, 2009
CERT Games – Michigan State Police Training Academy
7426 N Canal Rd, Lansing, MI 48913
Executive Summary: The CERT Games is an annual event organized to
maintain enthusiasm and develop familiarity / networking amongst Michigan CERT teams. Focus is placed on individual and team safety and creative problem solving.
Exercise Overview: The event was hosted by Kevin Sweeney (MSP), Matt Blythe
(MSP) and Brad Smith (Dearborn FD). Judges for the event were MAJ Linda Oswalt (MIVDF), CPL Scott Deykes (MIVDF) and PV2 Ron Mesic (MIVDF).
Represented
teams included Ann Arbor, Kent County, Dearborn, Lansing, Kalamazoo
The teams were divided into East & West ‘conferences’, with Lansing taking the honors for the West, and Dearborn taking both the East and Overall win.
(Note PVT Stephen Donnelly of the MIVDF was acting team captain for the Lansing team.) This was a very difficult event to judge – each team brought surprising strengths and creative solutions. As a judge, I learned something from every team that went through the scenario.
A house was used as a simulated tornado event location - each CERT team was deployed to the building to provide aid. Victim actors were staged in the same location and acted the same injury for each team to ensure consistency.
Two victims were staged to create a challenge - one was trapped in a position blocking the primary walkway through the main room, the next was staged at the foot of a stairway. This yielded a puzzle for the participants to solve – you should not step over a victim, particularly on a stairway, so you need to move this person prior to completing your search. You should never carry one victim over another trapped victim, so you need to move the person trapped in the main area walkway first. This effectively derailed most teams search efforts – only two teams found all of the victims in the house. Note that if the teams had proceeded to complete the first floor search before solving the 2 person puzzle and proceeding upstairs, they would have found a few staged options for serving as a backboard or patient transport.
The building was filled with fog machine fog to simulate dust. Each team was given an identical briefing and instructed to report to the area incident commander. Overall scenario was that several 4 person teams were deployed to individual houses in the affected zone – our exercise represented only one team’s efforts.
Exercise Goals & Objectives: MIVDF participation goals were to support the overall CERT mission through participation, continue networking with others involved in CERT and represent the MIVDF for recruiting opportunities.
Event
goals & objectives were to provide a networking / teambuilding environment to further interest and participation in the CERT program.
Exercise Events Synopsis & Observations:
- Remember that Boots are part of the required safety gear, remember that the face mask is part of your protection against not just dust but patients’
bodily fluids.
- Teams that had blankets / sheets / tarps had a much easier time moving injured people.
- Several teams made signage for triage areas in advance – good idea, but a little challenging with the limitations of a drill. If participants could have used duct tape, the signs would stay put in the breeze. I didn’t notice any teams using streamers of triage tape to mark the triage areas. Having some kind of a stick you can push into the ground and tie a triage tape streamer to might be a good expedient solution.
- Never to
complete your search in time to find the person with an obstructed airway or heavy bleeding you know the judges have placed in the scenario where you will likely find them last... some people are tricky like that.
- In this scenario there were two carefully positioned victims – one trapped on the middle of the walkway in the main room and one collapsed at the bottom of the stairwell on the same floor. In order to move the one blocking the stairs, you basically had to either move the one blocking the main area first or figure out how to open another exit out of the building.
- www.weatherwriterusa.com – very handy weather shielded clipboard helped the judges greatly as there was a misty rain for most of the event. The retail price on the 8.5 X 12 version is $32.98.
- Communication was not a category on the judging sheets, but it was an “interwoven theme” through almost all of the categories. Good radio use, good attention to keeping incident command informed was noticed by the judges.
- A recurring problem with drills – we need to provide a stage for participants to demonstrate their skills. Not moving a person with a possible spine injury is usually a good decision, and there is a problem for a CERT scenario where if the structure / area was so unsafe so as to make risky transport of a possible broken neck the right course of action, it wouldn’t be safe enough for CERT volunteers to be there... I think that the California / Australia wildfires, Hawaii Volcanic flows and possibly rising flood waters are good “motivators” to explain how its safe for CERT now, but you have to get everyone evacuated or else.
- This event was time limited to 25 minutes. None of the teams were completely wrapped-up, all finished, nothing left to do in that time frame – everyone was being thorough and “owning the problem”.
- A few magazines or some sheets of corrugated cardboard would make effective splinting for many smaller bone breaks – but double broken femurs will always be difficult to manage.
- Remember the basics – if you have blue painter’s tape for a drill, you can actually mark your search entries & exits as you might be doing with paint, duct tape or lumber crayons in a real disaster. (Marking is tricky for a drill – you shouldn’t damage property by marking it, but you need to be sure the judges understand what you are doing if you simulate something.)
- One team had a multi-tier tool box for their reserve supplies. When I saw them rolling it out to the scene, I wasn’t sure how it would be used...
but
as a handy & well organized “supply box” for materials that are left at the triage area or at incident command, it looked like it had a lot of merit. Even if left closed, it made a handy little table.
- Not that I would encourage carrying extra weight around in your pack, think about the things you do carry for use as a paperweight. The weatherproof clipboards mentioned earlier also did a great job of keeping the papers from fluttering in the breeze. Think of all of your gear in use during a downpour with near-storm winds, because disasters rarely wait for a clear & sunny day.
- All teams did more than a little improvising. In this scenario there were at least four good props hiding in the property for use as a stretcher or back board. Teams that finished gathering information about the whole situation and what materials are available wound up having a much easier time improvising.
- Work with the simulations – very few teams noticed & appropriately protected the impaled object. Applying pressure with a bandage would have pushed the object further into the wound.
- Be sure to solicit information wherever possible – it is part of your continuous size-up effort. Ask people on scene about the utilities, about the weather, about any possible threats. Ask each “victim” about other victims, what happened, what they saw, how long it has been since the event, et cetethat good decisions can be made based on good information.
Analysis of Mission Outcomes: Mission objectives were met. Better participation would have improved results.
Analysis of Critical Task Performance:
Task number and description - Judging the event required two judges (one attached to each 2 person team and one roving observer. The roving observer was a requirement as one of the judges had a prior relationship with one of the teams and could not act as a judge for that team. Judges were provided sheets with bullet points to focus on. As skills were demonstrated, notes were logged and points assigned during the judges review session following each scenario.
Issue number and description - none
References - none
Summary - This event resulted in a three way tie for first place, judges were required to re-evaluate their assignments to ensure they were balanced over all instances and between judges. In reality, some of the teams performed very well and were largely equivalent.
Consequence - One team was observed demonstrating relatively average scoring on the event - they were already a team with training and methodology not coincident with CERT. They did not score poorly because they did not do good things for the victims, but because they acted more in line with their other training. This is a potential concern for MIVDF because of the very distinct difference in authority and command structures between "active duty" and "CERT".
Analysis - I believe the objectives of the event were met both for the event organizers and the MIVDF. Strongly recommend MIVDF seeks opportunities to practice and develop CERT team cohesiveness - good communication and leadership made the difference between the good teams and the great teams.
Recommendation - Recommend MIVDF 1) devotes time at each or most meetings for break-out sessions enabling the CERT trained members to organize, plan & prepare and 2) seek opportunities to engage with other CERT teams for training, networking and recruiting purposes.
Improvement Action - Judges should improve the checklist with specific point values for each skill to be demonstrated to ensure all judges’ ratings are as impartial and accurate as possible. Suggest adding a “Communication and Documentation” scoring category.
Two recommendations for an overall competition or drill theme would be “The CERT Gauntlet” and “Beat the clock”.
The CERT Gauntlet:
Arrange several stations where a basic CERT skill is demonstrated. Each
2
man team runs the gauntlet accumulating points for their overall team.
(If
each team has 8 members, they send 4 pairs through the gauntlet one at a
time.)
For example:
1. “here is a door to a building to be searched, show me what you
do”
a. 1 point for checking for heat, bottom up
b. 1 point for using the back of the hand
c. 1 point for putting on a leather glove prior to grasping the
door
knob
d. 2 points for announcing “Volunteer Responder, I’m here to help”,
1
point for just saying “CERT” – because not everyone knows what CERT is.
e. 2 points for executing voice triage
f. up to 2 bonus points for getting information about the
conditions
inside verbally prior to entry
2. Entering the room, find an evaluator – stand for safety gear
inspection
a. 2 points if mask is covering mouth & nose, 1 point if mask is
readily available
b. 2 points for eye protection in place
c. 2 points for helmet
d. 2 points for appropriate footwear
e. 2 points for wearing gloves
f. 2 points for proper reflective vest
g. up to 4 bonus points for wearing rubber gloves under the leather
gloves or other improved measures (marker lights, knee / elbow pads, “tough”
clothing – anything improving their survivability and visibility)
3. Moving to the next area, find 20 or more lunch bags obags have rocks or other paperweights. Instructor tells the team that
someone reported there may be a victim under this rubble – demonstrate how you would determine where to dig.
a. 2 points for demonstrating triangulation method
b. 4 points for finding the bag with the radio on the first try
c. 3 points for finding the bag with the radio on the second try
d. 2 points for finding the bag with the radio on the third try
e. 1 point for finding the bag with the radio on the fourth try
4. Upon entering the next room / area, inform the team that
floodwaters
have blocked off their return to base and they are instructed to shelter where they are “as best they can”. Instruct them that they are outdoors and the weather is autumn mild.
a. 2 points for recognizing they would need to seek or create
shelter
b. 2 points for checking if it is safe to start a fire in the area
c. --- this is more of an interview exercise than a demonstration,
but
if they say “I pitch my tent”, they have to have a tent with them. The point for this should be looking for CERT principles, safety focus and creative problem solving, not advanced camping and orienteering skills.
5. Upon arriving at the next area, team is informed that they must
relieve the medical staff in the triage area. Have at least three victims lined up with need of secondary triage and treatment.
a. 4 points for re-checking everyone’s status upon arrival – don’t
assume prior triage was correct, don’t assume a condition didn’t degrade
b. 2 points for demonstrating bandaging around an impaled object
c. 2 points for demonstrating body splinting (use good leg as a
splint
for a broken leg)
6. The Monty Hall stage
a. give one point for each item they can produce within 10 seconds –
a
band-aid, a mylar blanket, a AA battery, a weather band capable radio...
then – use less distinct descriptions – “something that could be used for a splint”, “something that could be used for a shelter”, etc (The items requested should be reasonable for a moderately equipped CERT responder to have on hand, and the 10 second limit is intended to demonstrate a well-ordered pack and knowledge of one’s gear.)
7. Cribbing demonstration (note – the judge will have to act as the
safety person and the other required cribbing team members will be imaginary for this demonstration.)
a. 2 points for demonstrating securing or ‘chocking’ against
slipping
before starting
b. 2 points for demonstrating proper cribbing technique
c. -4 points for extending hands / fingers under the load being
lifted
d. 2 bonus points for knowing how much weight a proper 4X4 cribbing
arrangement can support
8. Size up
a. 1 point for each size up element recited / known:
i. Gather facts.
ii. Assess and communicate the damage.
iii. Consider probabilities.
iv. Assess your own situation.
v. Establish priorities.
vi. Make decisions.
vii. Develop plans of action.
viii. Take action.
ix. Evaluate progress.
9. Signs of terrorism
10. Basic fire extinguisher use
a. 2 points – determine if fire size is appropriate
b. 2 points – approach as a close contact team one with eyes on the
fire, other with eyes on surroundings
c. 2 points – execute PASS technique
d. 2 points – back out with one team member watching the fire and
the
other watching where they are going
11. Head-to-toe assessment
12. Partner distance in varying environments
a. Dusty, smoky or trip-hazard environment = arm’s reach
b. Reasonably stable structure = same room
c. Outdoors = within visual and communication range (but must
remain
aware of partner’s location at all times) Note that team members may work at greater distances if using whistle or radio communicastation or a practical exercise station depending on available resources.
Each stage has a “judges discretionary fund” of points as well as safety demerits. Participants don’t lose points for not demonstrating the skill, but they can lose points for being unsafe either to themselves or their partner.
Beat the clock:
Prepare four cards for each victim: initial, + 5 minutes, +10 minutes and
+15 minutes or other appropriate time intervals based on the expected
duration of the event.
Each victim would present the conditions associated with the time elapsed unless intervention takes place.
For example: One victim would be in a position of having fallen unconscious with their head in an obstructed airway position. Initial card would let them know their breathing is zero, but pulse is regular and strong, repositioning airway results in patient regaining consciousness. +5 minutes card would indicate breathing is zero and pulse is very weak and thready, repositioning the airway at this point would manifest a breathing unconscious patient. +10 minutes would indicate zero breathing and zero pulse. +15 minutes may result in this patient taking on a new condition – they play the role of another victim.
Another victim presents a slowly bleeding wound – initial conditions are strong and stable, +5 minutes breathing is a little shallow, +10 minutes pulse becomes rapid, +15 minutes patient bleeds out.
Controller cards indicate other events: +5 minutes the building power returns, +10 minutes one Ambulance arrives capable of taking 2 patients,
+15
minutes second Ambulance arrives, et cetera.
Points are assigned based on how many victims survive.
Conclusion: Based on observations from this event I intend to revisit
my
kit to ensure I have the following items:
- CERT forms & clipboard
- multiple inexpensive tarps – perhaps three
- multiple triangle bandages – at least six
- garbage bags for hauling, making an otherwise dirty cushion, blanket or “found object” more acceptable as a splint, rain protection, something to sit / lie on in wet grass and of course, collecting garbage.
Future participation in similar events is strongly encouraged.
Lori A. Phillips, CCEMT-P, I/C, ES4
E-Team and Volunteer Coordinator
Calhoun County
Office of Emergency Management
lphillips@calhouncountymi.gov
269-275-1658
Back Pack reference tags
Below is an example of some Backpack Reference tags. The printable version is now available on our new Form & Documents Page of this website. RW20090430
here is the image of the printout
here is the image of the printout
Bug Fest 2009 (4/9/2009)
April 12, 2009
This past Thursday, April 9th, the Calhoun County CERT membership in attendance were honored by the annual “bug fest” presentation of Mr. Paul Makoski. Mr. Makoski holds a position as a Biologist Supervisor within the Health Department, is credentialed by multiple degrees and is also a valued member of our team. It was only later, the following Saturday that I was requested to type up a brief synopsis of the session. Upon my reflection of the course content and the manner in which it was presented, the bug guy from the older TV session of CSI came to mind (Mr. Grissom). Had I known that I was to write up a brief on this most excellent seminar, it would have been beneficial for me to perhaps have taken better notes. For those in attendance, please accept my sincerest apologies if I have inadvertently omitted anything.
The class primarily dealt with some of the potentially unforeseen hazards one could possibly come across while exercising some potential duties within the scope of CERT. Of primary focus was the identification of poison ivy and some minute critters, a/k/a/ bugs. The old “leaves-of-three, leave-it-be” saying; although accurate with regard to the nasty Ivy irritant is in itself, not the end-all description for the plant. If we were to strictly abide by it, we would probably never enter into the woods. A lot of other harmless plants also have three leaves. I for one am not too fond of the plant for over the years -it has caused me excessive grief. Mr. Makoski’s interaction with the class offering us opportunities to choose via the slideshow - the evil Ivy over the other harmless plants was both entertaining and enlightening. The class also discussed the proper way of treating affected sites in order to minimize the eventual discomfort. Although it was noted that when it comes to Poison Ivy, that time is your friend; it has been my personal experience that the only thing time has done for me was to multiply my medical co-pays. In case you can not guess, Poison Ivy and I do not get along too well.
Mr. Makoski has apparently spent some serious time in the wild and offered his advice to the class with respect to some basic precautionary measures. Long sleeve shirts, rubber bands at the cuff and at the trousers’ ankle, the use of wet wipes and hand sanitizer were but a few of the recommended practices while in the field.
If or when CERT is called upon and when we are exploring the outdoors, it is likely that some of us could be exposed to certain unpleasant realities. Excluding the Poison Ivy as noted earlier, one could also come in contact with to fleas; bedbugs; roaches, body louse (lice); parasitic worms; flukes; mosquitoes; snakes (the most worrisome in Michigan is the Massasauga); ticks; spiders; centipedes; bees; wasps; hornets and ants. This class had the opportunity to safely handle some of these pests for they were properly preserved within a class vial (tomb). Whatever preconceived notions some of us had when we walked into the classroom, most were quickly dismissed by this authoritative curriculum. This class was both structured and informative. Mr. Paul Makoski is to be commended for his tenancy; for his love of the outdoors is only surpassed by his call to serving his community.
For those of us in attendance, we were blessed with Mr. Makoski’s insights, experience and knowledge. For those who missed the class, this seminar appears to be an annual event. Should you find yourself on-call within the scope of CERT and you did not attend this session, it may be wise to pair yourself up with someone who did.
Respectfully submitted;
Russ Wilson
20090412
Copied from the 2/24/09 email (rw):
Hello Everyone.
I want to thank you again for your participation in the Calhoun County CERT Team. Below is the 2009 team training dates.
The meeting time is from 1830-2030. The place will alternate from month to month. When it is in Battle Creek, it will be held at the Justice Center at 161 E. Michigan Ave. When we meet in Marshall, we will meet at the CISD building at 17111 G Drive North.
We have some exciting things that will be happening this year. One of those is new ID cards. We are waiting on the new equipment, but everyone will be issued a new ID card this year. I hope to have the equipment by our first meeting, if that doesn't happen, it will definitely be here by the April training.
Thank you for your patience and i look forward to seeing everyone again. Please let me know if you have any questions.
These are the following training dates:
Wednesday, March 11 Marshall
Thursday, April 9 Battle Creek
Wednesday, May 13 Marshall
Thursday, June 11 Battle Creek
Wednesday, July 8 Marshall
Thursday, August 13 Battle Creek
Wednesday, September 9 Marshall
Thursday, October 8 Battle Creek
Wednesday, November 11 Marshall
Lori A. Phillips, CCEMT-P, I/C, ES4
Volunteer Coordinator-Calhoun County
Office of Emergency Management
lphillips@calhouncountymi.gov
Hello Everyone.
I want to thank you again for your participation in the Calhoun County CERT Team. Below is the 2009 team training dates.
The meeting time is from 1830-2030. The place will alternate from month to month. When it is in Battle Creek, it will be held at the Justice Center at 161 E. Michigan Ave. When we meet in Marshall, we will meet at the CISD building at 17111 G Drive North.
We have some exciting things that will be happening this year. One of those is new ID cards. We are waiting on the new equipment, but everyone will be issued a new ID card this year. I hope to have the equipment by our first meeting, if that doesn't happen, it will definitely be here by the April training.
Thank you for your patience and i look forward to seeing everyone again. Please let me know if you have any questions.
These are the following training dates:
Wednesday, March 11 Marshall
Thursday, April 9 Battle Creek
Wednesday, May 13 Marshall
Thursday, June 11 Battle Creek
Wednesday, July 8 Marshall
Thursday, August 13 Battle Creek
Wednesday, September 9 Marshall
Thursday, October 8 Battle Creek
Wednesday, November 11 Marshall
Lori A. Phillips, CCEMT-P, I/C, ES4
Volunteer Coordinator-Calhoun County
Office of Emergency Management
lphillips@calhouncountymi.gov