Palatine emergency response team (cert)

Community Emergency Response Team Training (CERT) Fact Sheet

 “When terrorism threatens our future, we cannot afford to live in the past.”

In 2002, President Bush asked all Americans to volunteer in service to their country. The Citizen Corps Program was created to spearhead this effort to harness the power of every individual through education, training and volunteer service. Through this effort it is envisioned that we can make our communities safer, stronger and better prepared to respond to threats of terrorism, crime, public health issues and disasters of all kinds. CERT was selected as one of the primary training initiatives to be offered to the American public to meet this challenge.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), using the model created by the Los Angeles City Fire Department, began promoting nationwide use of the CERT concept in 1994. Since then CERT’s have been established in hundreds of communities in 28 states and Puerto Rico. CERT training is a very recent phenomenon in Illinois. As of January 2007 there were over 2,132 Citizen Corps Councils with approximately 2,472 CERT programs nationwide and 20 registered communities offering the CERT training in the state

CERT training promotes a partnering effort between emergency services and the people they serve. The goal is for emergency personnel to train members of neighborhoods, community organizations, or workplaces in basic response skills. CERT members are then integrated into the emergency response capability for their area.

If a disastrous event overwhelms or delays the community’s professional response, CERT members can assist others by applying the basic response and organizational skills that they have learned during training. These skills can help save and sustain lives following a disaster until help arrives. CERT skills also apply to daily emergencies 

CERT members maintain and refine their skills by participating in exercises and activities. They can attend supplemental training opportunities offered by the sponsoring agency and others that further their skill base. Finally, CERT members can volunteer for projects that improve community emergency preparedness.

CERT Training will teach participants to:

1.             Describe the types of hazards most likely to affect their homes and communities.

2.             Describe the function of CERT and their roles in immediate response.

3.             Take steps to prepare themselves for a disaster.

4.             Identify and reduce potential fire hazards in their homes and workplaces.

5.             Work as a team to apply basic fire suppression strategies, resources, and safety measures to extinguish a burning liquid.

6.             Apply techniques for opening airways, controlling bleeding, and treating shock.

7.             Conduct triage under simulated conditions.

8.             Perform head-to-toe medical assessments.

9.             Select and set up a treatment area.

10.          Employ basic treatments for various wounds

11.          Identify planning and size-up requirements for potential search and rescue operations.

12.          Describe the most common techniques for searching a structure.

13.          Use safe techniques for debris removal and victim extraction.

14.          Describe ways to protect rescuers during search and rescue.

15.          Recognize acts of terrorism.

Target Audiences

Ø  Neighborhood Watch Groups

Ø  Condo/Townhouse/Apartment Associations

Ø  Businesses

Ø  Communities of Faith

Ø  Scouting Organizations

Ø  School Staff/Students

Ø  Clubs/Organizations

Ø  Amateur Radio Emergency Services

Training Modules

Ø  Disaster Preparedness

Ø  Fire Safety

Ø  Disaster Medical Operations-Triage and Treating Life Threatening Injuries

Ø  Disaster Medical Operations-Assessment, Treatment and Hygiene

Ø  Light Search and Rescue

Ø  Team Organization

Ø  Disaster Psychology

Ø  CERT and Terrorism

Ø  Final Exercise

Palatine’s Citizen Corps Council recognized the benefit of CERT Training when the train-the-trainer class was first offered in April of 2003. Palatine sent three instructors to the initial training and now has eight trained volunteers capable of providing this instruction.

To date Palatine has conducted 40 classes with over 400 citizens trained. Plans are being developed to utilize these trained individuals in the event of a disaster. In 2003 a number of Palatine CERT members responded to Utica, IL to assist in debris removal and to Florida and Georgia to assist the victims of the rash of September hurricanes that wreaked havoc in the South in 2004. Recently, members of our ERT responded to assist Palatine fire, police and PW staff with the floods and storm damage in the August 2007 severe weather. Additionally, CERT trained volunteers have helped out at Street Fest and in other non disaster situations.

Ø  Palatine will have several CERT classes which will be offered later spring and summer. Most sessions are being held at 200 E. Wood (Village Hall Building) in the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) located in the lower level on the West End of the building.

Students should dress comfortably. Instruction includes lecture, tabletop exercises and practical hands-on involvement including the use of fire extinguishers and splintting and bandaging victims with injuries.

Should you have any questions, or wish to register for the classes, you can contact Tom Smith at (847) 359-9056 e-mail at tsmith@palatine.il.us.  

*NOTE - Registration is mandatory and Palatine residents and those that work or have businesses in Palatine will have priority in placement in the classes. Special classes can be arranged for groups of 12-18 people.

“Terrorism forces us to make a choice. We can be afraid or we can be ready.”

Tom Ridge

Former Secretary, Department of Homeland Security