Fairfax County CERT

Over 1 MILLION People in Fairfax County. Outreach...

2008-09-08T08:43:00.000-04:00

Over 1 MILLION People in Fairfax County. Outreach is BROKEN! NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT. Who READS THIS BLOG! CERT! THE WORD IS NOT GETTING OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TRY A NEWSPAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No interest.

2008-09-08T07:35:00.000-04:00

No interest.

Our anonymous posters are inaccurate. If you are i...

2008-09-07T11:08:00.000-04:00

Our anonymous posters are inaccurate. If you are interested in a CERT course that we will bring to you, then get yourself and 15 friends (minimum 16 recommended, 12 required) and a facility for us to hold it in. We're happy to come. The facility could be a church, community center, etc.

When the last South County approached us, they did not want to travel to the Fire Academy to take the training. Since our normal CERT training is much more hands-on than others (including Alexandria), we partnered with Alexandria to teach the classes at their academy which is close and provides an enhanced level of safety.

The south county folks were able to commit to nine people that took the course in Alexandria.

In order to teach the training in south county our choices were to have Alexandria teach it (which is right near the south county) or change the curriculum to include a more mobile friendly course. We did both.

You may still take classes in Alexandria (if you live in the Alexandria areas of the County), or we will come to your group. This is one of the reasons for the tiered classes. Our mobile course is mirrored after Alexandria's and Arlington's which is less hands-on, but more easily taught remotely. It is also half the hours of our normal course.

If you have enough people that can commit, we're there. As always you may contact the fire department at:
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/oem/citizencorps/cert.htm if you would like to setup your own training class.

Derek Rowan
Lead Instructor
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department
Community Emergency Response Team

Lots of trees down and area flooding. Well need c...

2008-09-07T05:20:00.000-04:00

Lots of trees down and area flooding. Well need chain saws, buckets, shovels and your CERT equipment to help clear out muck in the basements, sweep streets and sidwalks and tree removal. Only for the areas fire is not responding.

Thank you Jack! It was because of CERT trainning,...

2008-09-06T18:05:00.000-04:00

Thank you Jack! It was because of CERT trainning, that I self deployed today to check out my streets and backyards. I followed the news and see they need help in Mt Vernon and Alexandira. They are not trained down there so I will setup an assessment there later.

Thanks for the kind words Terry. This is a great t...

2008-09-06T12:49:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the kind words Terry. This is a great time to acknowledge all of the volunteers who are giving their precious time to help to make our community a better place. Several American Red Cross volunteers have taken Fairfax County CERT training so that they could better respond in the time of need. Many of these volunteers respond to everyday disasters, not just the “big” events, as part of American Red Cross Disaster Action Teams (DAT). These folks lead by example with their good deeds by giving their time to their communities. I personally want to say Thank You for making our community a better place.

She's right. January 30, 2008 Cathleen wrote abou...

2008-09-05T18:18:00.000-04:00

She's right. January 30, 2008 Cathleen wrote about a new partnership with Alexandria to do South County. To make better use of the money. The demand and requests were there. A duct tape solution.

4:57 CLUELESS!WHO SHOULD WE ASK? WE WENT TO OFFIC...

2008-09-05T18:02:00.000-04:00

4:57 CLUELESS!

WHO SHOULD WE ASK? WE WENT TO OFFICE OF EMERGENCY AND FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY DUMPED THE PROGRAM TO ALEXANDRIA FOR SOUTH COUNTY. CHECK THE BLOG.

Irregardless of the first Ms.Anonymous'statements;...

2008-09-05T16:57:00.000-04:00

Irregardless of the first Ms.Anonymous'statements; this is a good thing!
Ms. Anonymous, if you want south county CERT classes; then speak to Jerry Hyland and get it going......The areas/organizations that ASK FOR THE CLASSES get the classes; not the areas with "the money".Income levels don't determine who gets CERT classes;expressions of interest do.
Perhaps you have been asking/whining/"expressing your interest" to the wrong people?
Try something novel-actually try talking to people rather than whining on a blog site. You might actually get results!

DEAD ON!!!!!!!!!!Dear Board of Supervisor for Mt V...

2008-09-05T15:31:00.000-04:00

DEAD ON!!!!!!!!!!

Dear Board of Supervisor for Mt Vernon District,

WHEN?????????????

When is South County! Read the blog. Three years ...

2008-09-05T15:19:00.000-04:00

When is South County! Read the blog. Three years we asked and only the areas with the money get the program. South County should have been first. Shame on you. If there is value in the program, let them pay you to teach the course! This is not for you to jump up and down about that we teach it.

Do you know if the fx fire impersonator is going t...

2008-09-05T11:52:00.000-04:00

Do you know if the fx fire impersonator is going to change CERT?

Kathleen, et al Last nights refresher was great! ...

2008-09-04T11:16:00.000-04:00

Kathleen, et al

Last nights refresher was great! I needed this, because you forget stuff when you don't use it! I came in after you had had started and I don't know how much I may have missed. Here are my notes to share:

Traige Review - 3 types apply to us in CERT:

Traige in Place (prior to rescue)
Repeat After Movement (upon arrival at the casualty collection point)
Again In the Medical area (monitor and periodically reassess)

1) Initial field traige, during search phase, assess each victim as found, prior to rescue

Two-person teams, buddy system, one person examines victim, the other logs and tags.

Stay focussed, do the most good for the most people, who can be extracted safety, quickly, easily, who will survive

Goal 30 secs. per patient, head-to-toe assessment, tag, log
Required PPE: helmet, long sleeves, boots, goggles, double-glove,
Reglove or decon with hand sanitizer or spray wash bottle of water+10% chlorox between victims.

"RPM" =
Respirations <30/min, Perfusion blanch test<2secs
Mental status understands simple commands

Expedient Field Tagging:

Tape Strip on Victim: Marking Example:
Tape strip left shoulder:
Team ID, Victim No. Condition
T3-V5
Red

Duct Tape Patient Log On Pants Leg - Use 3 overlapping strips of duct tape across,
Write Team ID, List by location where found and condition
Explanation:
Team 3, Victim. No., Floor, Bldg. Quadrant, Condition
T3
V1-1stFloorQuadA-G
V2-1stB-Y
V3-2ndStairs-R
V4-2ndC-Y
V5-3rdA-R

START WHERE YOU STAND - "If you can walk come towards the sound of my voice"

Help Greens to safely exit and move on, put them to work in medical area if able/willing

Approach victim, Control head, look them in the face, "I'm here to help you, are you OK? "

Is victim responsive? Ask: "Can you hear me? Where do you hurt?"

Complete head-to-toe assessment before moving patient, check for bleeding, fractures, etc.

TALK TO PATIENT DURING EXAM
CONTROL BLEEDING
TREAT FOR SHOCK

Step
Procedures

1
Check airway/breathing. At an arm’s distance, shake the victim and shout. If the victim does not respond:

o Position the airway.
o Look, listen, and feel.
o Check breathing rate. Abnormally rapid respiration (above 30 per minute) indicates shock. Treat for shock and tag "RED"
o If below 30 per minute, then move to Step 2.
o If the victim is not breathing after 2 attempts to open airway, then tag "DEAD."

2
o Check circulation/bleeding.
o Take immediate action to control severe bleeding.
o Check circulation using the blanch test for capillary refill.
o Press on an area of skin until normal skin color is gone.
A. good place to do this is on the palm of the hand or nail beds.

Time how long it takes for normal color to return.

o Treat for shock if normal color takes longer than 2 seconds to return, and tag "RED"

3
Check mental status. Give a simple command, such as "Squeeze my hand." Inability to respond indicates that immediate treatment for shock is necessary. Treat for shock and tag "RED"

Radio locations of yellow and red victims found to Command, let extraction team rescue, continue your search and move on

2) Traige again upon arrival at the Casualty Collection Point, Assign minimum of two people from "gitgo" - buddy system

MedLeader - this person needs to be well organized, does not need to have medical training - will not do hands-on patient care.

Responsible for setting up the Casulty collection point, treatment area, morgue, medlogistics staging

Makes traige, treatment and logistics assignments, in minimum medstaff also responsible for patient accountability.

Caregiver(s) - Use people with medical or first aid training or skills, responsible for hands-on patient care.

Maintain adequate span of control, ideally 5-7 victims per caregiver, ten as absolute max.

Re-traige victims every ten minutes, re-tag, update make time checked.

Set up of the Medical Area: Safe stand-off distance Away, Uphill, Upwind from incident

Accessibility for rescuers to bring in victims, and for emergency vehicles to transport them out to medical facilities

Room for expansion as more incoming wounded come in.

Position Red and Yellow treatment areas closest to the access control point to minimize patient movement

No longer place victims head-to-toe, place head-towards caregiver so can view torso and move between victims w/o stepping over victims

Put Greens to work making signs, etc, if unable to assist supervise, safely away, you don't want them milling around unaccounted for.

Patient Intake - Access Control Point - Patient decon area

Assign a person to log incoming, outgoing transports, maintain patient accountability.

Clearly marked by signage or - suggest use of VS-17 http://www.bestglide.com/VS17_Signal_Panel_Marker.html

Establish Medical Logistics (Staging) Area - separate areas for sterile supplies, water/food, blankets/shelter

Staff meal, rest, cleanup, sanitation area

Supplies needed / useful, trash bags, biohazard tags, baby wipes, TP, paper towels, soap, water, hand sanitizer, blankets

Morgue - discreetly out of sight

3. Re-traige victims every ten minutes. Update tag, indicate time last checked and condition.

Professional responders will re-traige and complete new traige tag prior to transport to a medical facility.

Thanks for your 'help'. I see CERT has a great com...

2008-09-04T10:50:00.000-04:00

Thanks for your 'help'. I see CERT has a great community attitude. I think I'll pass.

--the first anon

Go to Alexandria CERT and do what? Chase stampedin...

2008-09-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

Go to Alexandria CERT and do what? Chase stampeding elephants?
No thanks.

money spent on other things? go to alexandria for ...

2008-09-04T06:43:00.000-04:00

money spent on other things? go to alexandria for cert.

South County Taxpayer,Call the Board of Supervisor...

2008-09-03T10:44:00.000-04:00

South County Taxpayer,

Call the Board of Supervisor representative in your district ask them.

Is there going to be a South Fairfax County CERT c...

2008-09-02T15:26:00.000-04:00

Is there going to be a South Fairfax County CERT class this Fall?

Consumer Reports has just upgraded their ratings o...

2008-09-02T13:17:00.000-04:00

Consumer Reports has just upgraded their ratings on some of the available converter boxes at:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/electronics/2008/08/ratings-of-dtv.html

While cable and satellite program providers will continue to serve the great majority of homes as the primary signal source, missing HD local reception, compression issues, higher costs, billing add-ons, service outages, contact difficulties, in-home service waits and no shows have left many of these subscribers looking to OTA antennas as a good, alternative and Off-Air viewers happy with their free programming.

But TV reception starts with the right antenna and Off-Air TV is FREE.

Viewers should certainly try their old antenna first. It’s true that any of these older antennas will pick up some signals, maybe all the broadcast signals a viewer wants to receive, depending on their location. If they’re getting all the OTA channels they want, than they’re good to go.

While Antennas can’t tell the difference between analog and digital signals, there are definitely certain models which have higher DTV batting averages than others. Not all antennas are equally suited for DTV. A percentage of viewers will require something a little more tailored for DTV reception.

With one of the newer and smaller OTA antennas, with greatly improved performance, power and aesthetics, viewers may also be able to receive out-of-town channels, carrying blacked out sports programs not available locally, several additional sub-channels or network broadcasts. And for those with an HDTV, almost completely uncompressed HD broadcasts (unlike cable or satellite).

OTA viewers can go to antennapoint.com to see quickly what stations are available to them, the distance, and compass heading to help in choosing and aiming their antenna. And if they decide to buy a newer antenna, they should buy it from a source that will completely refund their purchase price, no questions asked, if it doesn’t do the job.

Is there more detailed info on the scheduled class...

2008-09-02T13:09:00.000-04:00

Is there more detailed info on the scheduled classes and different levels?

Although I love volunteering for CERT, most of my ...

2008-08-29T08:17:00.000-04:00

Although I love volunteering for CERT, most of my volunteer hours are spent supporting my kids activities. With three kids, I end up doing more for little league and scouts than I can do for CERT at this stage in my life. Those with a 5 year old will understand :)

Thanks for your post Mike. I just dropped off my d...

2008-08-26T17:17:00.000-04:00

Thanks for your post Mike. I just dropped off my daughter at college and the dorm rooms had been repainted over the summer. The smoke detectors were all taped over. I wonder how many parents noticed that? Needless to say, campus security got a call to check on the rooms that I couldn't.

The next round of CERT(2)classes will begin on Wed...

2008-08-26T08:58:00.000-04:00

The next round of CERT(2)classes will begin on Wednesday 10/8 from 7pm to 1030 pm. The final class will be on a Saturday 11/22 from 8am to 430 pm.

Will Derek, Mike, Cathleen or the new liason guy b...

2008-08-25T12:58:00.000-04:00

Will Derek, Mike, Cathleen or the new liason guy be at any of these events? Terrific to see them side by side the volunteers.

Is this CERT level 1, 2, or 3? You rolled out a ne...

2008-08-24T06:05:00.000-04:00

Is this CERT level 1, 2, or 3? You rolled out a new program for this county, but it adds more confusion. Look at Alexandria. They have one course and their people can be called out. All future classes should be all 3 levels so we can be deployed.