“Virginia Citizen Corps”Expand Opportunities for Staff and Volunteers

Special Presentation

For Volunteer Coordinators

Show and Tell

First, let’s take a quick look at the history of Citizen Corps programs…

The date we will always remember

2001

President Bush, State of the Union Address:

“We all have a role in homeland security. Citizen Corps ask you to embrace the personal responsibility to be prepared; to get training in first aid and emergency skills; and to volunteer to support local emergency responders for disaster relief and community safety.”

2002 - USA Freedom CorpsCitizen Corps Programs were born

5 Citizen Corps Programs

Community Emergency Response Team

From its roots to a national

protocol…

Gets its start.

February 1985- Los Angeles Fire Department sent a team to Japan…

To study its extensive earthquake preparedness plans

The team experienced a very interesting concept…

Entire neighborhoods were trained in “one aspect” of alleviating the potential devastation that would follow a major earthquake.

Light Search and Rescue

Doing the most good until responders arrive

Triage and First Aid

Students receive basic first aid and triage to assist until responders arrive

Basic Fire Suppression

Putting out a fire no larger than a trash can

Safety “first” for volunteers

The team returned to Los Angeles with an idea

Fast Forward 1985

An investigative team was sent to Mexico City where they studied the aftermath of a 8.1 earthquake

30,000 were injured10,000 died

Hundreds of untrained and unaffiliatedvolunteers helped in the15 day rescue effort

100 volunteers died

Incredible devastation

Tested it on 30 Neighborhood Watch volunteers

•Light Search and Rescue•First Aid/Triage•Basic Fire Suppression

1986, LA Fire developed the Community Emergency Rescue Team program - CERT

Expedited the need to train civilians to

develop, train and maintain a network of Community Emergency Response Teams to meet local needs across the USA

1993- FEMA made the concept and program available nationwide and expanded CERT training materials to make them applicable to include “all hazards”

1987 - Whittier Narrows 5.9 Earthquake in San Gabriel, CA.

Core Curriculum

Fire Safety- Fire Chemistry/Hazardous Materials

Disaster Medical Operations 1 & 2- First Aid/Triage

Emergency Preparedness- How to prepare at home and work

Light Search and Rescue- Size Up/Conducting Search Operations

Core Curriculum

Disaster Psychology- Team Psychology/Working w/ survivors

Terrorism and CERT- What is Terrorism, Targets, Weapons

Organization- Decision making/Tabletop Exercise

Disaster Simulation- EXERCISE/Practical 

CERTs do not self deploy except…

In their neighborhoods, at work… where disasters happen.

CERT volunteers are more prepared at home and work because of their training.

If they are not needed by your organization when disaster strikes, they can help their community…

What Can CERTs Do?

Initial site inspections after a disasterLight debris removalFood and water distributionEvacuationSpecial needsHuman shelter managementVolunteer CenterVolunteer Reception Center- Public

Affairs ProfessionalsAnimal shelter management

CERT to the Rescue

Public education about preparedness*even within your organization

ParadesTransportation needsCase management for survivors Snow removalSenior needs Dissemination of preparedness informationHelp with access and functional needs citizens

Volunteer Support in Disasters…how to integrate

Volunteers must affiliate with a local organization connected to Emergency Management to be trained to participate. Otherwise they will be “spontaneous volunteers”.

Spontaneous volunteers can become the problem, not the solution.

Building Blocks Start with CERT Training

Staff and/or volunteers take CERT from a locality near you and establish your “CERT Team”.

In the event of a local need, the CERT Coordinator contacts you to call out your CERT Team

Their involvement in hours is counted by both your organization and the CERT affiliate

A Win-Win Situation

To take CERT training to experience the experience yourself from your local CERT organization and learn the possibilities first hand.

You Can Be Our Ambassadors

To promote our programs and help in disasters and in between if not needed by your organization

Pictures are worth a thousand words…

Page County, Office Max, VDOT and Pittsylvania County Teen CERTs in Action

Medical Reserve Corps, Fire Corps and Neighborhood Watch volunteers

Noteworthy Quotations

         

“For too long we've treated the public as a liability to

be protected rather than an asset in our nation's

collective security.“

               Secretary Janet Napolitano

               Department of Homeland Security

Virginia Citizen Corps, Partnerships in action

QUESTIONS?

Linda RubinCitizen Corps Program ManagerLinda.rubin@vdem.virginia.gov

Virginia Department of Emergency Management