Emergency Training

[ashfire]

With incidents like 9-11, earthquakes, hurricans and what ever can be thrown at humanity, FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) had come up with training that would be offered to citizens so that they could form teams in their neighborhoods in the event that emergency services in their communities are over runned by emergency calls during a disaster or unfore seen event.
CERTS (Citizen Emergency Response Teams) involves training in first aid, firefighting and minor rescue work. These class can be offered by a local fire dept. I have talked to the FEMA manager about the program by email. One thing I asked is there a age limit for training? He said he has known young people as young as 12 YO taking the classes with their parents.
FIRE CORPS is a program where citizens can help the fire dept. A citizen does not have to fight fires or do rescue work. They can do computer or paper work, help clean up around a fire station, serve food and drinks at a fire, and run funding raising. There are other programs out there offered by FEMA to citizens, some in law enforcement and medicine where its the same as FIRE CORPS.
Being a volunteer firefighter EMT for over 30 years I had asked my anime club before it disbanded if they would be interested in taking such training so that the club could help at cons has safety personnel and the club could get some recognition. It went over like a lead balloon.
I guess after putting some of this info on here would anyone here be interested in checking out any of these programs including volunteer fire and rescue training depending on if your area fire service operates that way?

[Roll]

I'm interested. Could I get some more info, please?

[Slater]

oooh, sounds like fun. Living in the earthquake capitol of the world, it'll be handy.

[ashfire]

Here are some of the websites for info

http://www.citizencorps.gov
http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov
http://www.usfa.fema.gov
These are some of them you can go to. Check to see if your local public safety agency has a website or phone number you can call for info about citizen training.
I would say most disaster relief agencies offer training to citizens like the American Red Cross (First aid, CPR, AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) classes. You may have to pay a fee to them for books and training.
Fire Prevention Week is in October so alot of fire departments will have open houses or demonstrations displays around their areas. That is a good place to ask about citizen training programs.

[Fsiphskilm]

Not me

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Volt... we should make our OWN Rescue Heroes!

The CAA Rescue Heroes!

[ashfire]

Not meant to be a joke. But we need some of THESE guys.

I believe with the right training, knowledge and the willingness to help your neighbor. Anyone could be like those guys.
Even some recreation activities like mountain climbing and repeling, SUBA diving, rafting, boating, off road motoring and others could be a means for rescue work.
Camping would be a means for survival learning. If anyone has been in the scouts they have learned alot there.

[Dunedan]

You just need to read The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook
I love that book.

[ashfire]

I feel that it takes one individual or a couple to convince others to get involved in learning something that would benefit not just themselves but others. It took one friend to convince my brother and myself to join the volunteer fire service, because his family (father, grandfather, uncles etc) had been members of the same fire dept. We not only learn how to fight fires but also emergency medical work, heavy rescue work, hazmat work. You also learn how to teach others to do things safety like preventing fires in their homes, ride in or on their vehicles and other things and why.
My brother's training has benefited him. He joined the Navy and took corpsman training which when he left the Navy he became a paramedic for a private ambulance service and the local rescue squad where he lives now.
His ex wife and new wife both were members of local fire departments and rescue squads. His daughter is a firefighter and EMT who works for a private ambulance.
Myself I am a firefighter EMT for 32 years and my training comes in handy for my work has a public works employee if someone is injuried at work or out on the street before fire services arrive, plus I volunteer at anime cons to help with medical calls.
I have learned alot but also have been involved with many things that would also involve the training of other fire service personnel by being on a state training agency for building training centers across the state where even citizens could learn CERTS training. There are many things that anyone can get involved with by learning community safety programs or safety organzation.