Tulare County Amateur Radio Emergency Service

Community Emergency Response Teams or CERT are groups of individuals that have been trained in responding to an emergency. CERT is the Department of Homeland Security’s volunteer program for community volunteers. CERT groups are trained in a variety of emergency response areas including light search and rescue, basic firefighting, and triage. The basic premise for CERT is to do the most good for the most people. The priority of safety concerns are for self, the team and other first responders.

Light Search and Rescue is just like it sounds. Search and rescue on a light side. Getting people that are ambulatory out of a structure to a safe area is the primary goal. In keeping with the basic premise, those that can be easily removed from an area are encouraged to evacuate. Others that require extensive extrication are documented as to their location and first responders that are better equiped are notified of the location. Safety of the individual CERT member is paramount and CERT members are required to stay out of dangerous buildings.

Basic Firefighting focuses on small type fires that can easily be contained and managed. The training here consists of using a fire extinguisher. Basic fire science is also taught.

Triage is the management of victims needing medical care. As a victims is removed from an incident and processed for medical care, they are initially evaluated. This initial evaluation is called triage. The victims are then categorized through a standardized system. Triage allows for the quick and efficient movement of patients through a medical evaluation.

By assisting first responders, CERT members can help the general public so that the greatest good can be done for the greatest amount of people. Additionally one area that Tulare CERT teams can specialize in is Animal Evacuation and Sheltering. In response to what has taken place over the past several years with animals and disasters, emergency response administrators have determined that there needs to be a set of protocols for animals during disater situations. One of the areas designated to lead the way with training and stagging of supplies is Tulare. This program is being administered under the direction of the UC Davis Extension in Tulare. More to come on this later. There is a possibility that communication can be a large part of how hams can interact with CERT in this area.