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Disaster Training on the North Coast
or Ready to Ride it Out?
by Scott Roat
April 3, 2006
In 1985, an earthquake of devastating proportions swept through Mexico City, causing over four billion dollars of damage in less than three minutes. It hit at 8.1 on the Richter scale followed a mere 36 hours later by another earthquake at 7.5 on the Richter scale. In the middle of this stunning catastrophe, civilians spontaneously volunteered and, though credited with over 800 rescues, one hundred of these volunteers lost their lives.
The deaths of these good samaratins were considered largely preventable - more responders would have surely lived had they simply been better prepared. One direct result of this tragedy was the implementation of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) by the City of Los Angeles Fire Department, with the hopes that a better trained community would be better able to more safely and effectively respond.
The CERT program is a 20 hour training course specifically designed to teach disaster preparedness and disaster skills to residents within their communities, enabling the public to help themselves and each other, and support emergency first responders serving the community.
CERT teaches people how to first identify the hazards that are in their home, workplace and community, how to mitigate the impact of such disasters ahead of time, and teaches essential disaster skills - such as small fire management, basic medical care, light search and rescue, and community organization - empowering community members to give critical support to their families and neighbors until help arrives. When a large-scale emergency strikes a remote community, critical resources are often overwhelmed, and people may find themselves cut off from outside support for quite a while.
Stacey Weil-Dye of the Albion-Little River Volunteer Fire Department is the north coast's CERT District Representative. She says, "I'm excited about the potential of this program. It's about learning how to prepare oneself and one's family for an emergency, whether it is a personal disaster like a house fire or The Big One. If you put in to practice what you've learn - make your disaster kit, store water, practice your evacuation plans, etc. - you increase your chances of being able to survive, be self-sufficient and even be potentially helpful in the wake of a disaster. I found the CERT course to be empowering and feel better prepared to care for my family. Now I would like to organize with others who are interested in preparing themselves, our schools and our communities."
As part of the kick-off to the upcoming CERT training being offered in Albion, the ALRVFD is hosting a Community Disaster Preparedness Expo at the Albion School on April 29th, between 11am - 3pm. At this event there will be informational tables, guest speakers with up and running CERT programs in their communities, basic skills training booths appropriate for all ages - such as how to use a fire extinguisher, what to say to 911 when summoning help, how to create a personalized disaster kit and evacuation plan, etc. - and, most importantly, how to clearly identify your home so local fire departments can locate you quickly, when every second counts. Community members interested in registering for the next CERT training in June will be able to do so at the expo.
In addition to the valuable skills and information available, the event will also be about community interaction and FUN! Weather permitting, there will be a bounce house, fire truck rides, face painting and a free carnivore- and herbivore- friendly BBQ. It is the Albion-Little River Volunteer Fire Department's hope that through this event they will be able to raise awareness and interest in creating a disaster-prepared community.
For more information about CERT contact Stacey Weil-Dye at 937-4179 or stacey@mcn.org.
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Scott Roat is the Public Information Officer for the Albion-Little River Fire Department
He can be reached at scott@mendocinorealestate.net
© Copyright 2006, All Rights Reserved.
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Century 21 Seascape Realty
45050 Little Lake Street,
Box 583
Mendocino, CA 95460
t: 707.937.6161
f: 707.937.0344
e: email scott
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