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Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

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  • Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

    I have been reading Black November by Geoffrey Rice.
    It is a detailed book giving a great deal of factual data on the morbidity and mortality of various communities within New Zealand. As well as lots of information on the level of help each community received.

    The message that is repeated over and over in the book is that there was a far lower mortality rate in the communities that had the greatest help from their local community. The lower mortality rate relied a great deal on volunteer help within the community.

    How can volunteers help in a modern day community assuming a pandemic similar to the 1918 flu?

  • #2
    Re: Lowering the mortality rate in 1918.

    What kind of volunteer help in the community had the most effect on lowering fatalities?
    http://novel-infectious-diseases.blogspot.com/

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    • #3
      Re: Lowering the mortality rate in 1918.

      Cities were divided up into blocks. So that skills and resources were not centralised and could be more easily distributed.

      Each day contact was made with each household to see if they needed help. Communication was by means of waving white handkerchief, this could be done by telephone now? Redydration solutions and invalids foods were left at the door. Transport to hospital was arranged for serious cases.

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      • #4
        Re: Lowering the mortality rate in 1918.

        Local communities in our area have community emergency response teams (CERT). In some communities they are fairly well organized and will serve the local functions you note during a pandemic. More information can be found at

        https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/index.shtm

        I don't think this is a well publicized program. It would be very useful for a local community during any kind of disaster or emergency.
        http://novel-infectious-diseases.blogspot.com/

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        • #5
          Re: Lowering the mortality rate in 1918.

          STATE DIRECTORY FOR EXISTING CERT GROUPS

          https://www.citizencorps.gov/citizen...ertsByState.do
          <TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD class=pageheadformat>

          This is from the website for my area.

          Community Emergency Response Training

          </TD></TR><TR><TD>People helping people </TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE class=contenttable width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=content vAlign=top width="100%">Emergency response organizations understand that initially following a major disaster, they will not have the resources or capability to meet the demand. They will have to prioritize the use of their response resources. Accepting this, agencies find that Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) empowers family members, neighbors, and the community with the means to care for themselves until more help arrives. CERT connects the professional response community with the people it serves. The training emphasizes mitigation, preparedness activities and response skills for the hazards that the community may face.


          </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>CERT training is design to cover the following</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE class=contenttable width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=content vAlign=top width="100%">
          • Session I: Disaster Preparedness
          • Session II: Fire Suppression
          • Session III: Disaster medical operations, triage and treating life-threatening injuries
          • Session IV: Disaster medical operations, assessment, treatment, and hygiene
          • Session V: Light search and rescue
          • Session VI: Team organization and disaster psychology.
          • Session VII: Final Exercise
          Each session requires 2 to 3 hours to complete.


          </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>What you can expect from training</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE class=contenttable width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD class=content vAlign=top width="100%">
          CERT training is designed to prepare you to help yourself, your family and your neighbors in the event of a catastrophic disaster. Because emergency service personnel will not be able to help everyone immediately, you can make a difference by using the training to save lives and protect property. This training covers basic skills that are important to know in a disaster when emergency services are not available. You will want to help. With training and practice and by working as a TEAM, you will be able to do the greatest good for the greatest number after a disaster, while protecting yourself from becoming a victim. Your ability to recover depends on your planning.


          </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

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          • #6
            Re: Lowering the mortality rate in 1918.

            Glad you brought that up. Many CERT programs are adapting to a potential pandemic situation. Plus, this training is great in any case.

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            • #7
              Re: Lowering the mortality rate in 1918.

              The small size (local) approach and the form are the important aspects, in my opinion. This relates to workable units within which people somehow can get to know and identify with each other.

              I always think in terms of LCES (famous Wildland Fire Acronym) and how to structure those safety considerations. Thinking within a small geographical group/area/ neighborhood helps:

              Lookouts
              Communications
              Escape Routes
              Safety Zones

              Identify the needs AnneZ talks about and then add it to training. Communication and preps with identification of the vulnerable folks who might need help (with communications, establishing their safety zones, etc) -- I think this will be the key.

              More thinking on this after the holiday...

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              • #8
                Re: Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

                I am wondering if there is a "short cut" by using the existing Neighborhood Watch framework to implement basic training and neighborhood cohesiveness.

                Comments anyone?

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                • #9
                  Re: Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

                  Yes, building on existing Neighborhood Watch groups to serve as a local safety net in the event of a pandemic is a good idea. The participants in Neighborhood Watch could still benefit from CERT training but function within their existing structure.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

                    I will pursue this tomorrow locally. Maybe we could create a model for this on the site for others to follow. At the very least it is a mechanism to present the CERT program.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

                      In following up on a post by Pixie- 3-11-2006, I found the Comunity Response Training for New York at Albany. I have taken the first of 6 modules- and then to finish with final test. It's great material. Course is offered online at University of Albany- Preparedness and Community Response to Pandemics, I believe is title. Each module is 2-3 hours. Also, there is the information re: FEMA training Christian Rivers posted a little time back. The avian flu is being mentioned "quietly" in my community. However, networking to come up with plans seems to be lagging far behind. I remain, as always, hopeful. Just means finding a way to connect people with the information. I will be following this thread- and am extremely thankful for all that is provided here.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

                        Great Information. I found info on CERT very helpful.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

                          Welcome Senegal1.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

                            Senegal1, we are pleased to have you join us.
                            http://novel-infectious-diseases.blogspot.com/

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                            • #15
                              Re: Ideas to Implement CERT for Pandemic Response

                              Welcome Senegal1.
                              I am about to complete the CERT training I began last month on-line at U of Albany. Each module takes about 2 hours. The info is presented in "chunks"- easy to digest. I have learned so much info from this site that it is relatively easy to follow on-line. There are little quizzes at the end of each module. In Rochester, The Rochester Business Alliance is the contact for the non-medical reserve corps/ citizens corp. So, I will be networking with them as I complete the CERT training.
                              I also learned that U at Albany has an on-line free microbiology course. I have not checked into that- but will. And when get info, will post.

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