North County CERT graduates largest class

The crisp Saturday morning of April 14 found newly trained Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) class members standing before a badly damaged building. North County Fire Marshall Sid Morel watched as Incident Commander Mike Crain welcomed the graduates and observers to the graduation drill for the 56 new members at Fire Station Headquarters in Fallbrook.

As Crain pointed out that the Do-Not-Enter symbol on the door hung askew on the door frame, a muffled sound came from inside the building. At the sound, a strange caped figure appeared and rushed toward the building, intent upon his mission. It was Super CERT to the rescue!

Crain saw Super CERT rushing toward the forbidden, unsafe building. Hoping to avert yet another disaster, Crain called out a warning to Super CERT (played by Al Wright).

“No, no! Don’t go in there! It’s not safe! Don’t you see the Do-Not-Enter symbol on the door?”

“I don’t care! I hear someone inside and I’m gonna get ‘em out!”

Crain watched helplessly as Super CERT rushed into the heavily damaged building. Suddenly, from inside the building, members of the graduating class, officials from the Office of Emergency Services and firefighters heard a din of disaster – and cries of “Help, help!” from Super CERT. Laughter rang through the crowd of observers as a stuffed toy cat flew out of the building, yowling in protest. Super CERT was eventually rescued.

Fortunately this was a light-hearted, staged procedure, demonstrating what not to do when assisting emergency service personnel, as trained NC CERT members, in the event of a disastrous incident.

Super CERT did everything wrong, causing himself to become a victim and, rather than assisting emergency responders, forcing the North County firefighters to place themselves in danger as well as taking time from duties elsewhere.

North County Fire Marshall Sid Morel reviewed the mistakes Super CERT had made and made sure every graduate knew the importance of appropriate behavior for assisting emergency responders. He emphasized the need for always practicing teamwork and communication.

The graduation drill began officially with Stasia Place, Emergency Services Coordinator of the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services, swearing in the members of the NC CERT graduating class.

From there, the graduates in full gear (vests and helmets with their names and backpacks with basic gear such as flashlights, water and gloves) were formed into six teams, headed up by team leaders. Each team went through the drill for each of the specific areas of assistance to emergency responders for which they had been trained: fire suppression, search and rescue, cribbing and medical evaluation/basic first aid (treatment).

Fire suppression was under the supervision of Mark Strikwerda. Search and rescue was directed by Al Wright. Cribbing, how to safely rescue victims, was led by Stephen Theis. Medical evaluation and treatment (triage and basic first aid) was overseen by Allison Abbott, firefighter/EMTP, and CERT member/EMT Pamela Frisbie.

“Victims” had a variety of injuries simulated by moulage (realistic makeup), applied by Abbott and Kortoff, who was trained by a Hollywood movie moulage expert. Injuries were so realistic that many participants were shocked to see them. Victims were community volunteers Nicole Baker, Barbara Harvey, Kortoff, Jenny Rumble, Blaze Sanner, John Wright and Ryleigh Wright (neither related to Super CERT).

During the medical evaluation and first aid section of training, victims were triaged (separated according to seriousness of their injuries) to one of four colored tarp areas – green/walking wounded, yellow/delayed, red/immediate and black/morgue – where they then awaited arrival of professional emergency responders.

When the drill had been completed by all graduates, Fire Marshall Morel debriefed the class – a discussion period in which participants are given ideas for improvement and are encouraged to talk about their experiences. In disaster incidents, for example, volunteers are trained to watch for indications of fatigue, both physical and emotional, in themselves and their team members and what to do if they see this occurring. Michelle Wright is NC CERT’s instructor for this part of community volunteer training.

Classes have been established at Palomar College, initiated by NC CERT Coordinator and firefighter James Beebe. These classes are held both at Palomar College and at “satellite” Palomar classes, held in communities convenient to the volunteers who want the training.

Morel indicated he was pleased to see that while some CERT volunteers are unable to participate in rigorous physical activities, everyone is a participant in some way. There is record-keeping, headed up by Section Chief of Administration Linda Bannerman; planning duties, executed by Section Chief Mike Crain; operations, led by Section Chief Bigs Parker; logistics, chaired by Section Chief Al Wright; and radio communication, directed by Bigs Parker, president of the Fallbrook Amateur Radio Club. Other less physically demanding jobs include making reminder telephone calls, fundraising, research and so on. There is a job for everyone who wishes to participate in this valuable community service.

Graduates of the class included two physically challenged individuals, one special needs volunteer and Spanish-speaking individuals. Graduates who attended classes held at one location were Dan Collins, Eileen Delaney, Diane Jansen, Dennis Knight, Ellie Knight, Bill Parkinson, Heather Reese, Becky Reilly, Frank Reilly, Sheri Leigh Rumble and Nancy Shimamoto.

Those who attended classes at a second location were Mary Aaron, Dana Kay Acero, Nicolas Andres, Alicia LeAnn Birmingham, Ronne Branson, David Clements, Frank DeSilva, Erik Egan, Judy Egan, Bill Gomen, Aileen Hargrove, Rose Nell Heard, Joseph Hough, Terry Hough, Frances Hubert, John Hubert, Bob Lowrie, Debbie Sue Marlow, Jesse Matias, Juana Matias, Sharon Mulligan, Anna Nichols, Beverly Pastizzo, Manny Pastizzo, Paul Pastizzo, Sharon Pipes, Lisa Potter, Lou Regello, Dick Ries, Alex Rodriquez, Kathi Rodriquez, Tish Schweizer, Louis Schweizer, Earle Straight, Mildred Straight, Alex Strickbine, Jan Swan, Daniele Verdon, Donald Weeks, Jennifer Weeks, Kenny Weeks, Cecil Wilson, Nancy Wilson and Tim Zemanek.

Previously graduated CERT members who attended and gave a helping hand were Katherine Beebe, Linda Bannerman, Pamela Frisbe, Gene Gostnell, Millie Martin, Bigs Parker, Ron Patten and Michelle Wright.

The necessity for CERT training is clear: If a natural, chemical or nuclear disaster or terrorist attack hits North County, emergency responders will be overwhelmed with calls for assistance. CERT-trained volunteers will be able to assist the professionals, first assuring their own safety so they can help others, then their family’s safety and ultimately their neighborhoods and community.

Anyone interested in joining the North County Community Emergency Response Team can contact Public Information Officer Millie Martin via telephone at (760) 500-7473 or e-mail at [email protected].

Those interested may also leave a message for NC CERT Coordinator James Beebe at (760) 723-2010.