CERT Organization

CERT Organization • Describe the CERT organization. • Identify how CERTs interrelate with ICS. • Explain documentation requirements.

CERT Organization

The EOP • Emergency Operation Plan (EOP) • Assigns responsibility to organizations and individuals • Sets forth lines of authority • Describes how people and property will be protected • Identifies personnel, equipment, facilities, supplies, and other resources

Purpose of On-Scene Management • Maintain safety of disaster workers. • Provide clear leadership and organizational structure. • Improve effectiveness of rescue efforts.

Need for CERT Organization Provides: • Common terminology that contributes to effective communication and shared understanding. • Effective communication among team members. • A well-defined management structure. • Accountability.

Objectives of CERT Organization • Identifies the scope of the incident • Determines an overall strategy • Deploys resources • Documents actions and results

The Incident Command Post • Performs Command and Control functions for the incident • Established at a fixed location • Develops the Incident Action Plan

Effective Management Practices • An Effective Communications System • A Clearinghouse for Information • An Authoritative source for Policy and Decision Making • A place to Resolve Confusion and Conflicts

ICP Organizational Structure • Incident Command Post (ICP) • Intricacies of your community • Relationships with other agencies • Size of your Community • Types of disasters most likely to occur • Past experience Determining the organizational structure best suited for your CERT Team, you need to consider:

Key Functions of an ICP • Coordination • Policy and Decision Making • Direction and Control • Information Gathering • Information Dissemination • Resource Acquisition and Allocation

ICP Configuration and Design • Provides a single, recognizable focal point for emergency or disaster management • Allows CERT members to respond as a team • Permits a faster response and recovery than a fragmented approach would provide

Factors Influencing Design of an ICP • Available Facilities and Space Considerations • Staff Support Personnel • Budget Constraints • Local Ordinances and Regulations • Security Concerns

Equipment Common to an ICP • Communications • Telephones (Land lines or Cell) • HAM Radio • Walkie Talkies • Support personnel; • scribes and runners • Controlled environment; • air conditioning and heat • Television/VCR • for monitoring weather and news reports • Break area, with restroom facilities • Technology aids; • Document Copies • Computers and Printers

Methods of Communication • External • Information received from outside the ICP • Internal • Flow of information between people within the ICP

Internal Communication • Two types of internal Communication • Horizontal • Horizontal is the flow of communication between people and agencies within the ICP • Vertical • includes those messages sent and received from all sources outside the ICP

Good Communications and Message Management • Messages Sent and/or Received • Central Control Point • All messages should be processed through a single control point • Common Forms • Should be uniform and simple to use. Instructions written on the reverse side helps maintain consistency, accuracy, and ease of use • Messages • Written in clear concise plain language • Priorities • Coding and numbering messages for tracking and distribution

ICP Management Tools • Maps of the community and city and county • plastic or transparent overlay • large enough to be easily read from any point in the room • Copies of written material

The ICP Action Plan • Defines Broad Strategic Objectives, such as; • Evacuation Issues • Mass care • Team objectives • Creating an Organizational Chart • Situation and Weather • Establishes Communications Links

Basic ICS Structure Incident Commander Operations Section Chief Logistics Section Chief Planning Section Chief Administration Section Chief CERT and the ICS

CERT Command Structure Operations Section Chief Fire Suppression Group Leader Search and Rescue Group Leader Medical Group Leader S & R Team A Triage Team Fire Suppression Team A S & R Team B Treatment Team Fire Suppression Team B S & R Team C Morgue Team Fire Suppression Team C Staging Area CERT Structure

CERT Decisionmaking • Heavy damage = No rescue • Moderate damage = Minimize rescuers and time in building • Light damage = Locate, triage, treat, and prioritize victim removal

Responsibilities for Documentation • Provide command post with ongoing information. • Document incident status. • Incident locations • Access routes • Identified hazards • Support locations

Unit 7 Objectives • Describe the disaster and post-disaster emotional environment. • Describe the steps that rescuers can take to relieve their own stress and those of disaster survivors.

Vicarious Trauma The process of changes in the rescuer resulting from empathic engagement with survivors

Possible Psychological Symptoms • Irritability, anger • Self-blame, blaming others • Isolation, withdrawal • Fear of recurrence • Feeling stunned, numb, or overwhelmed • Feeling helpless • Mood swings • Sadness, depression, grief • Denial • Concentration, memory problems • Relationship conflicts/marital discord

Possible Physiological Symptoms • Loss of appetite • Headaches, chest pain • Diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea • Hyperactivity • Increase in alcohol or drug consumption • Nightmares • Inability to sleep • Fatigue, low energy

Team Well-Being CERT team leaders should: • Provide pre-disaster stress management training. • Brief personnel before response. • Emphasize teamwork. • Encourage breaks. • Provide for proper nutrition. • Rotate. • Phase out workers gradually. • Conduct a brief discussion. • Arrange for a post-event debriefing.

Reducing Stress • Get enough sleep. • Exercise. • Eat a balanced diet. • Balance work, play, and rest. • Allow yourself to receive as well as give. Remember that your identify is broader than that of a helper. • Connect with others. • Use spiritual resources.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Seven phases: • Introduction and a description • Review of the factual material • Sharing of initial thoughts/feelings • Sharing of emotional reactions to the incident • Instruction about normal stress reactions • Review of the symptoms • Closing and further needs assessment

Phases of a Crisis • Impact • Inventory • Rescue • Recovery

Traumatic Crisis An event in which people experience or witness: • Actual or potential death or injury to self or others. • Serious injury. • Destruction of homes, neighborhood, or valued possessions. • Loss of contact with family/close relationships.

Traumatic Stress Traumatic stress may affect: • Cognitive functioning. • Physical health. • Interpersonal reactions.

Medicating Factors • Prior experience with a similar event • The intensity of the disruption in the survivors’ lives • Individual feelings that there is not escape, which sets the stage for panic • The emotional strength of the individual • The length of time that has elapsed between the event occurrence and the present

Stabilizing Individual • Assess the survivors for injury and shock. • Get uninjured people involved in helping. • Provide support by: • Listening. • Empathizing. • Help survivors connect with natural support systems.

Avoid Saying . . . • “I understand.” • “Don’t feel bad.” • “You’re strong/You’ll get through this.” • “Don’t cry.” • “It’s God’s will.” • “It could be worse” or “At least you still have . . .”

Managing the Death Scene • Cover the body; treat it with respect. • Have one family member look at the body and decide if the rest of the family should see it. • Allow family members to hold or spend time with the deceased. • Let the family grieve.

Informing Family of a Death • Separate the family members from others in a quiet, private place. • Have the person(s) sit down, if possible. • Make eye contact and use a calm, kind voice. • Use the following words to tell the family members about the death: “I’m sorry, but your family member has died. I am so sorry.”

Questions

CERT Organization