COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM PROGRAM
Participant Manual
Reviewed / Updated: August 25, 2015

WELCOME TO CERT
 

Major disasters stretch city responses to their limits.  It is estimated that regular emergency services will be unable to respond during the first 72 hours following a major disaster, such as a hurricane.  The number of people who need help, and the inaccessibility of many neighborhoods due to damage will prevent immediate aid.

If individuals and their neighborhoods are prepared to mutually assist each other during these critical hours, lives can be saved, property damage reduced, and emergency services can be freed to respond to the most devastated areas.

CERT�s overall purpose is to enable neighborhoods to be self-sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours following a major disaster.  This will be accomplished by:

Program Background
 

CERT is an outgrowth of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Emergency Management Institute program-Community Emergency Response Team training and the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management.

The United States publishes the Federal Response Plan as its official plan of action in response to disasters.  In support of the Federal Response Plan the State of North Carolina publishes the Emergency Operations Plan which is supported by the Bertie County Emergency Operations Plan.

In 1989 Hurricane Hugo struck our area after traveling 200 miles inland and in 1997/1998 the area experienced the effects of extremely strong El Nino.  Studies conducted after Hurricane Hugo stated that �emergency plans must find ways to incorporate citizens, a tremendous resource, and find ways to increase citizen participation.  Neighborhood contacts or teams to help emergency response agencies were also recommended. In essence government must find ways to incorporate and to legitimize citizen involvement in emergency response.

A local result of this was the Community Emergency Response Team concept.  First established in Los Angeles, California, the concept has spread nationally.  Different geographic areas adopt the core of the program and make the appropriate changes to meet their needs as confirmed by their risk analysis.

In the County of Bertie, Community Emergency Response Teams are expected to be coordinated at the neighborhood or team level by a designated civilian team leader.  This team leader is selected by the members of the team and will act as the official liaison between the neighborhood CERT and the County of Bertie designated point of contact. The point of contact may be from the Fire Department, Police Department or other department as required at the time.

CERT courses will be offered to the citizens of the County of Bertie on a cost free basis.  Upon completion of the designated CERT program members will be issued CERT equipment by the County of Bertie.  This equipment will remain the property of the County of Bertie and is to be considered on �loan� to the CERT member.  If a member leaves the program it is their responsibility to turn in all issued City CERT equipment in good working order.  Equipment that is damaged in the course of normal CERT activities will not be held against the CERT member.

Nothing in this program will grant any citizen member of the CERT program any special authority to act as a Law Enforcement Officer, Fire Fighter, or Emergency Medical Service Personnel.

Current CERT personnel may be authorized to enter into restricted areas during a disaster upon presenting their County of Bertie issued CERT identification card.  Entry into such an area will be for official reasons and with the approval of Bertie County Emergency Response Personnel on the scene.  A CERT identification card is not intended to nor will be used as a free pass to enter into restricted areas if there is not a requirement for the services of that CERT member in the specific area.

The County of Bertie CERT program is designed as a pro active program in response to Federal, State, and local emergency response plans and as an efficient means of preparing citizens for disaster.
 

The following will present the actions that should be taken by members of the County of Bertie Community Emergency Response Team Program in the event of a disaster.  Some of these items will vary with the Fire and Police Departments response to a catastrophic disaster when exigent circumstances exist and when directed by policy or verbally directed to respond.
 

• CERT team name;
• Name of team leader and call back number, (cellular, etc..);
• Location of that the team has assembled;
• Number of CERT personnel on scene;
• Status of personnel on scene, (injuries, etc.);
• Immediate threats to life or safety observed in the neighborhood.

The following should be documented in writing using the provided CERT forms and then reported back to the Communications Center or Emergency Operations Center. The CERT will complete DAMAGE ASSESSMENT SURVEYS, (see attachments) for each assignment.  A written record must be kept of all activities. This form should be completed in duplicate to allow the team to keep a copy and a copy turned into the Emergency Management Representative for the County.
 

Neighborhood CERT Structure

The Incident Command System

Fire and law enforcement personnel to manage emergency operations use the Incident Command System.  It has been proven time and time again to be a dependable and efficient system of operations management.  CERT�s are part of the �Operations� function of the ICS, as shown in the figure below.  In a disaster situation, CERT�s may be working on their own for an indeterminable period of time until emergency units arrive.  Once they do start to arrive, CERT�s will work under the �Command� of the ranking officer and provide the information and manpower needed to stabilize the neighborhood.
 

�Operations� is one of four general functional areas that the Incident Commander uses to accomplish his goals; besides Operations there are Logistics, Planning and Administrative Coordinators that handle various aspects of the Incident.

Leadership 

A neighborhood planning group needs a coordinator, co-coordinators, or a steering committee.  Each of the response teams should have a leader and team members.  For each team and for coordinators, there should be established a progression of who will be in charge.  For example, if a particular team leader is not present, who should take their place after a disaster?

NOTE: If your neighborhood group is not large enough to have full teams, it should have, at a minimum, an overall coordinator and leaders for each team. 

Even if you never have enough active people to staff all the teams fully, keep your basic organization in place.  Experience has shown that after a disaster, people will want to pitch in, and you will have jobs to which they can be assigned.  Experience also suggests that not all team members will be there immediately after a disaster, so make sure you have identified a �line of succession� or know what jobs you can assign to other volunteers. 

Neighbors Who Don�t Participate 

Shyness and Timidity
Fear of letting others find out �Family Secrets�
Lack of time and energy
Misunderstanding your group�s goals and activities
Personal issues

What to do? 

Keep letting them know what your group is up to and when the next meeting is scheduled. 

Have various neighbors contact them to explore ways to draw them into participation. 

Always provide for them in your plans and for post-event activities. 

TEAM DUTIES 

COORDINATOR(S)/STEERING TEAM 

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide overall coordination of the neighborhood plan before a disaster

• Help the neighborhood teams complete their �Before� tasks

• Set up CERT Command as a base of operations and information center for the neighborhood

• Organize the CERT program in the neighborhood

• Activate the neighborhood plan and deploy all Teams to respond to the disaster.

The individuals that choose to be in the CERT Command Center must be able to deal with numerous problems simultaneously. This is truly a job for the �strong at heart�. 

SEARCH & RESCUE TEAM

This team should try to become familiar with the type of rescue problems they may have to deal with.  The team must under that the safety of their members comes first.  Go to other team member�s home after the event and make sure there is not a rescue problem there.  As you move through the neighborhood determining rescue problems, you may be able to gather other volunteers to help with your duties or assign them to other teams.
 

• Searching each home to determine the well being of your neighbors;
• Rescue those trapped or injured;
• Help with transport of the seriously injured to the nearest treatment area.

If a rescue attempt appears to be or is obviously beyond your physical capacity or skill - DON�T DO IT!!  You can seriously injure yourself, or worse, put other rescuers at unnecessary risk.  The question to ask is always �Is it safe for CERT members to attempt this rescue?�  Answers to this question relate primarily to the degree of structural damage, as shown in the following table:
 

FIRST AID, MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT TEAM

• Set up a first aid station in the neighborhood;
• Provide physical and psychological first aid to neighbors who need it;
• Identify neighbors who need professional medical care;
• Identify, collect and store basic and creative first aid supplies for the neighborhood.

Individuals often exhibit unusual behavioral and emotional responses following a disaster.  Some symptoms are: fear, powerlessness, fatigue, irritability, sleeplessness and hyperactivity.

Regardless of age, people have a need to retell an upsetting or dangerous incident in great detail to anyone who will listen.  Allowing those who have survived a disaster to retell their stories helps them to regain a sense of control. 

Adults and children need to recount the disaster from their viewpoint.  When this happens, listen carefully.  Pay attention to the person�s words, actions and facial expressions. 

Most people are fearful when they do not understand what is happening around them.  Every effort should be made to keep them accurately informed.  This helps to relieve anxiety. 

• Using a neighborhood map, check and if necessary, shut off the gas, electricity and water at each house in the neighborhood.
• Identify and rope off hazardous areas.
• Confine stray pets.
• Remove debris from the street so emergency vehicles can drive through the area.
• Coordinate the evacuation of the neighborhood when necessary.

The long term function of this team will be to constantly monitor the neighborhood for actual or potential hazards; and to properly mark and/or otherwise warn the residents in the area. 

Yellow or �Day-Glo� survey tape is a good tool for team members to have available to �rope off areas that are hazardous.  People that are still in shock from the event will not pay attention, or may not recognize otherwise obvious safety hazards.  Consider using a wheelbarrow to transport your heavier equipment, such as extinguishers, chain saws, etc... 

All three of the Previous Teams, (Rescue, Medical, and Safety) will often be involved together in the initial search and rescue effort, so having �Suggested Operating Procedures� in place prior to an event will make it a safer scene for to work on. 

Team members need to know their specific duties on a rescue scene.  It can�t be stressed enough how important it is to train as teams on a regular basis to insure that each member understands their job under emergency conditions.  Fire Department EMT�S and Paramedics train regularly for situations exactly like this because their need for efficient teamwork is critical on a daily basis. 

Use this chart as the basis for some of your training exercises when your group gets together.  The items here aren�t all that someone should expect to face, but it will give you guidelines to work from and goals to strive for. 

The need to coordinate team work can�t be stressed enough, so whenever you have the opportunity to train - do so.  Structure your exercises so that several things are going on simultaneously, this makes the sessions much more interesting and fruitful. 

If someone in our neighborhood is good with woodworking, have them fashion some �Backboards� with handholds.  These are what firefighters use to move victims to safe treatment areas, and they are good for preventing movement of the spinal column when neck or spinal trauma is suspected.
 

• Ensure that children, elderly and disabled persons have pre-arranged caretakers.
• Set up a child/adult care center in the neighborhood.
• Learn the locations of the fire stations and schools in your area.
• Identify other public shelter locations to help neighbors who are displaced and need shelter.

Keep in mind that you could have any number of people look to you for help, many that you weren�t aware of, but you can only really prepare for the ones you know about.  Dealing with the others will take patience and common sense. 

People that show up unannounced may have the solutions to their problems with them; they just may need some help. 

Find out if any patients might have a relative that if notified would be able to come get them within a reasonable time period. 

This may be a poplar group with everyone.  Make sure this Team is fully staffed; their workload will be longer in duration than some of the others.  If a disaster affects a large enough area and it is several days before things stabilize, this Team could find themselves working day and night helping those who didn�t prepare. 

Find out as soon as you can what local, (outside neighborhood), sources of food, water and shelter is available.  Post this information prominently and keep your Team members informed.  No matter how much you have planned to store for emergency purposes, the speed with which things disappear will amaze you. 

The young, elderly and disabled can easily be overwhelmed by a disaster and may experience difficulty in coping with the situation and their feelings.  You can help them by talking openly about what has happened and how you feel about it. 

Encourage them to speak freely about whatever is on their minds.  Be careful not to argue with them, or tell them how they should feel. 

Express you confidence in your ability to help them.  Reassure them that the recovery process is underway. 

Encourage them to participate in the rebuilding efforts, and explain that as they contribute their skills to the neighborhood, life will return to normal.
 

COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
 

• Provide communications of the CERT Teams.
• Establish a communications link with the City�s / County's Emergency Operations Center
• Monitor local radio and television stations, and share the emergency information with the neighborhood.
• Record information pertaining to the disaster on the neighborhood status board.

• Bertie County Emergency Operations Center/ Responding Fire and Rescue
• Local or out of town relatives of your neighbors
• People in the neighborhood that want to know the status of things
• Disaster Assistance Coordinators trying to determine the level of need in your area
• Field Teams, Treatments Areas, Transport locations, etc..
• Local News and Emergency Broadcast Bands
• HAM and CB Operators

• Conduct a preliminary and detailed damage assessment survey of the neighborhood.
• Give these damage assessment surveys to CERT Command.
• Advise neighbors to keep written records, photographs and a video of the contents of their homes.

If you are a member of this Team, work with members of the Safety Team to determine problems that your neighborhood is vulnerable to in advance of an event.  If you have a good number of large trees, where will they fall?  If you have a lake, creek or stream, close by, will it create a flooding problem?  Where will power lines likely end up after high winds or ice storms?  Do you have businesses near you that deal in or store hazardous materials?

Find someone in your neighborhood that knows insurance; they can become the local specialist on what you can do before and what to do after damage is done.  Find someone that understands construction and repair.  They may be able to give classes or prepare checklists on assessing damage or strengthening homes.  Try to get your Team members to understand damage assessment and the mitigation efforts that can be accomplished prior to an event.
 

LOGISTICS OFFICER

• Manage resources available in the neighborhood and Coordinate communications with the outside world.
• Coordinates efforts of Communication Team, Special Needs, Sheltering, and Supply Team.
• Be familiar with duties of CERT Command.

The important thing to remember is that you need leadership with a plan in order to make it through the first few days of a real disaster.  Without it, you will be at the mercy of the situation and all that comes with it.
 

Attachment 1
CERT APPLICATION FORM

Attachment 1A 
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

DOCUMENTATION
 

Documentation is vital to the overall success of the recovery effort.  There are two basic categories of documentation that CERT will use.

• Response Teams and their functional groups are responsible for providing CERT Command with ongoing information about group status, damage assessment, and ongoing needs.
   

• CERT Command is responsible for documenting situation status, including incident locations, support locations, access routes, and identified hazards.  This information is essential for tracking the overall situation. As information becomes available in the EOC from CERTs, emergency management officials can begin to get a �feel� for the damage caused by the event.

GROUP STATUS SHEET