Sixteen NACCHO staff participated in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training on October 28 and 29. The CERT program trains citizens to be better prepared to respond to emergencies in their communities by learning how to provide immediate assistance to victims and organize spontaneous volunteers at the disaster site. When response resources are limited, CERT members can offer additional critical support to first responders and assist with non-emergency projects that help improve community safety. The training was facilitated by Serve DC–The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism.
CERT training covers the following topics:
- Disaster Preparedness
- Fire Safety
- Medical Operations and First Aid
- Search and Rescue
- Disaster Psychology
- Terrorism
During the training, NACCHO staff learned the proper methods to carry a victim out of a building, the protocol for triaging victims at a disaster site, a basic medical assessment procedure, basic first aid techniques such as splinting and field-based wound care, and fundamental behavioral health techniques.
NACCHO encourages individuals and other organizations to participate in a CERT training to help support their community in time of need.
Find more information on CERT trainings in your local community