TSUNAMI IN THE MIDWEST, VOLCANO IN THE NORTHEAST...WE NEED YOUR HELP!
Frank Lucier, Editor

It only happens in the movies, but what we need is a Best Practices database of CERT standard operating procedures for floods, hurricanes, thunderstorms and other hazards and we need your help in putting it together for the next edition of The Connection. Here's why!

The CERT program was developed in Los Angeles for earthquakes. It was not until Florida imported the program, and added to it to fit hurricane threat that the program began to grow and expand rapidly in non-earthquake areas. Today, programs across the country have modified Unit One of the training by inserting hazards that are specific to their community and geographical region, teaching skills and preparedness measures that fit the hazards that they face, thus making their community more prepared. The importance of this concept has been reflected in the revised CERT materials with the addition of information and slides on thirteen natural hazards that impact different parts of the country.

But is this enough? We are not teaching preparedness steps for a Tsunami in the Midwest or a volcano in the northeast, but don’t the team organizational concepts also have to be modified to fit geographic location, population density, infrastructure, resources and hazards faced?

In Unit 6 of the CERT Instructors Guide, the following information is provided for instructors on CERT mobilization: “The description below provides an explanation for CERT deployment based on the concept of a response to a catastrophic disaster. Each community needs to develop its unique standard operating procedures for CERT.”

The IG then describe self-activation, compiling information on the way to a pre-designated staging areas, and how CERTs organize large teams using ICS principals. These concepts were developed for sudden impact disasters where the event affects a large urban geographic area and overwhelms first responders almost instantly.

But what about floods? What about severe winter storms, wildland fires, major hazardous materials spills, excessive heat, hurricanes and costal storms, landslides and mudflows, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, tsunamis, nuclear plant emergencies and volcanoes? All these hazards have been included in the new materials for Unit One. Does the concept of self-activation, going to a pre-designated staging area and dividing the arriving group up into functional teams work in these different types of disasters? Probably not.

The mobilization protocols for sudden-onset disasters, such as earthquakes, are much different than for a slowly evolving disaster such as a flood or a hurricane. Team organization and standard operating procedures are different as well.

This issue of CERT standard operating procedures generates much discussion, sometimes heated, in the Train-The-Trainer programs, as people struggle with a concept that does not really fit the types of disasters that their communities face. That is why it has been left up to the local community to develop protocols to fit their needs.

It’s not only the hazards that the community faces but also it’s population size, geographical location, infrastructure and available resources that affect how CERTs will be mobilized and how they will operate. That is why it has been left up to the local community to develop protocols to fit their needs. It's important that we share that information with others.

With so many CERT programs up and running throughout the country it is time to compile a "Best Practices" database of CERT standard operating procedures on the FEMA’s CERT website. Sam Isenberger has committed to putting this information up on the CERT web site. There are a lot of good ideas out there and sharing information about how CERTs are organized and operate in floods, hurricanes, thunderstorms and other hazards will help other communities who are just starting up or a struggling with the concepts.

The focus of the next edition of The Connection will be on CERT standard operating procedures and we will need all your help in putting this together. If you have standard operating procedures for your community we would request that you write an article for the next edition. The article should address the following issues:

·        Activation protocols…when do they activate

·        Response protocols…where do they go and what do they do

·        Communications protocols…how do the communicate both between themselves and with the community emergency management/response agency

·        Documentation protocols…what do they write down and who do they give it to

All information received will be sent on to Sam Isenberger for posting on the CERT web site. Thank you for your help and support.

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