“virginia citizen corps” expand opportunities for staff and volunteers special presentation for...
TRANSCRIPT
“Virginia Citizen Corps”Expand Opportunities for Staff and Volunteers
Special Presentation
For Volunteer Coordinators
Show and Tell
First, let’s take a quick look at the history of Citizen Corps programs…
The date we will always remember
2001
President Bush, State of the Union Address:
“We all have a role in homeland security. Citizen Corps ask you to embrace the personal responsibility to be prepared; to get training in first aid and emergency skills; and to volunteer to support local emergency responders for disaster relief and community safety.”
2002 - USA Freedom CorpsCitizen Corps Programs were born
5 Citizen Corps Programs
Community Emergency Response Team
From its roots to a national
protocol…
Gets its start.
February 1985- Los Angeles Fire Department sent a team to Japan…
To study its extensive earthquake preparedness plans
The team experienced a very interesting concept…
Entire neighborhoods were trained in “one aspect” of alleviating the potential devastation that would follow a major earthquake.
Light Search and Rescue
Doing the most good until responders arrive
Triage and First Aid
Students receive basic first aid and triage to assist until responders arrive
Basic Fire Suppression
Putting out a fire no larger than a trash can
Safety “first” for volunteers
The team returned to Los Angeles with an idea
Fast Forward 1985
An investigative team was sent to Mexico City where they studied the aftermath of a 8.1 earthquake
30,000 were injured10,000 died
Hundreds of untrained and unaffiliatedvolunteers helped in the15 day rescue effort
100 volunteers died
Incredible devastation
Tested it on 30 Neighborhood Watch volunteers
•Light Search and Rescue•First Aid/Triage•Basic Fire Suppression
1986, LA Fire developed the Community Emergency Rescue Team program - CERT
Expedited the need to train civilians to
develop, train and maintain a network of Community Emergency Response Teams to meet local needs across the USA
1993- FEMA made the concept and program available nationwide and expanded CERT training materials to make them applicable to include “all hazards”
1987 - Whittier Narrows 5.9 Earthquake in San Gabriel, CA.
Core Curriculum
Fire Safety- Fire Chemistry/Hazardous Materials
Disaster Medical Operations 1 & 2- First Aid/Triage
Emergency Preparedness- How to prepare at home and work
Light Search and Rescue- Size Up/Conducting Search Operations
Core Curriculum
Disaster Psychology- Team Psychology/Working w/ survivors
Terrorism and CERT- What is Terrorism, Targets, Weapons
Organization- Decision making/Tabletop Exercise
Disaster Simulation- EXERCISE/Practical
CERTs do not self deploy except…
In their neighborhoods, at work… where disasters happen.
CERT volunteers are more prepared at home and work because of their training.
If they are not needed by your organization when disaster strikes, they can help their community…
What Can CERTs Do?
Initial site inspections after a disasterLight debris removalFood and water distributionEvacuationSpecial needsHuman shelter managementVolunteer CenterVolunteer Reception Center- Public
Affairs ProfessionalsAnimal shelter management
CERT to the Rescue
Public education about preparedness*even within your organization
ParadesTransportation needsCase management for survivors Snow removalSenior needs Dissemination of preparedness informationHelp with access and functional needs citizens
Volunteer Support in Disasters…how to integrate
Volunteers must affiliate with a local organization connected to Emergency Management to be trained to participate. Otherwise they will be “spontaneous volunteers”.
Spontaneous volunteers can become the problem, not the solution.
Building Blocks Start with CERT Training
Staff and/or volunteers take CERT from a locality near you and establish your “CERT Team”.
In the event of a local need, the CERT Coordinator contacts you to call out your CERT Team
Their involvement in hours is counted by both your organization and the CERT affiliate
A Win-Win Situation
To take CERT training to experience the experience yourself from your local CERT organization and learn the possibilities first hand.
You Can Be Our Ambassadors
To promote our programs and help in disasters and in between if not needed by your organization
Pictures are worth a thousand words…
Page County, Office Max, VDOT and Pittsylvania County Teen CERTs in Action
Medical Reserve Corps, Fire Corps and Neighborhood Watch volunteers
Noteworthy Quotations
“For too long we've treated the public as a liability to
be protected rather than an asset in our nation's
collective security.“
Secretary Janet Napolitano
Department of Homeland Security
Virginia Citizen Corps, Partnerships in action
QUESTIONS?
Linda RubinCitizen Corps Program [email protected]
Virginia Department of Emergency Management