Effective practices in disaster training and mitigation include the following:
- AmeriCorps members serving with Operation Fresh Start (OFS) in Dane County, Wisconsin, are trained as Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) responders.
- OFS AmeriCorps members also receive additional training in CPR/first aid.
- CERT training begins with an overview of how people can respond to emergencies and then moves on to specialized training in topics such as light search and rescue operations, damage assessment, and fire suppression.
- The basic CERT program consists of 16 hours usually delivered in 2 1/2-hour sessions, and is available from the Emergency Management Institute to those requesting the skills necessary to be part of emergency preparedness and response. The training consists of the following:
Session I - Disaster Preparedness: Addresses hazards to which people are vulnerable in their community. Materials cover actions that participants and their families take before, during, and after a disaster. As the session progresses, the instructor begins to explore an expanded response role for civilians in that they should begin to consider themselves disaster workers. Since they will want to help their family members and neighbors, this training can enable them to operate in a safe and appropriate manner. The CERT concept and organization are discussed as well as applicable laws governing volunteers in that jurisdiction.
Session II - Disaster Fire Suppression: Briefly covers fire chemistry, hazardous materials, fire hazards, and fire suppression strategies. However, the main focus of this session is the safe use of fire extinguishers, sizing up the situation, controlling utilities, and extinguishing a small fire.
Session III: Disaster Medical Operations (Part I): Participants practice diagnosing and treating airway obstruction, bleeding, and shock by using simple triage and rapid treatment techniques.
Session IV - Disaster Medical Operations (Part II): Covers evaluating patients by performing a head-to-toe assessment, establishing a medical treatment area, performing basic first aid, and practicing in a safe and sanitary manner.
Session V - Light Search and Rescue Operations: Participants learn about search and rescue planning, size-up, search techniques, rescue techniques, and most important, rescuer safety.
Session VI - Disaster Psychology and Team Organization: Covers signs and symptoms that might be experienced by the disaster victim and worker. It addresses CERT organization and management principles and the need for documentation.
Session VII - Course Review and Disaster Simulation: Participants review their answers from a take-home examination. Finally, they practice the skills they have learned during the previous six sessions in disaster activity.
After the training, members are able to respond to emergencies in their county and elsewhere in the state.