Austin Disaster Relief Network volunteer David Stone talks about the importance of Community Emergency Response Team training in times of disaster and how you can take the course to be better prepared WHEN a disaster occurs. For more information on CERT+ training within greater Austin, visit: http://www.adrntx.org For more information about CERT training in your area, visit: http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/ Script: During the past 10 years the world has seen some of the deadliest and destructive disasters in our lifetime, and they usually occur without warning. In Greater Austin, we want to be prepared in the event of a local or regional disaster, and that is where the Austin Disaster Relief Network comes in. In a time of major disaster, emergency responders such as Police, Fire, and EMS can quickly become overloaded. ADRN takes a biblical standpoint of being prepared, and we train volunteers how to respond in times of need in order to walk along side of emergency workers and our local government. ADRN volunteers gain valuable tools and knowledge that will help them help their own family, and reach out to their community in disaster situations such as a tornado, flood, hurricane and other types of natural or man-made disasters. ADRN trains our volunteers through a nationally recognized, FEMA-supported program called Community Emergency Response Team or C.E.R.T. The CERT+ program consists of 5 training sessions that teaches people the fundamentals of responding to a disaster. The first four sessions are classroom-based, and topics include disaster preparedness, fire safety, disaster medical operations, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, and terrorism. On the last day we teach proper small fire suppression, triage, and finish with a realistic disaster simulation. The disaster simulation gives volunteers the opportunity to apply what they learned, and gain valuable experience in a realistic "life and death" situation. Participants step into the aftermath of a disaster, and experience the confusion and disorientation that a real disaster would entail. Here is a brief video clip that will give you a better understanding of what the volunteers experience. It's not a question of IF a disaster will strike but when. So, my question for you is: do YOU want to be prepared? You could save the life of a family member or a neighbor by taking this training. During a disaster, volunteers are needed for many different roles. Not everyone can be in the "field" helping with triage and rescue. Individuals are needed to help with supplies, counseling, shelter, and other areas. ADRN offers training for these roles, including Shelter Management, Crisis Incident Stress Management (CISM) All content, unless otherwise noted is © 2014 Austin Disaster Relief Network - http://ADRNTX.org

• published: 10 Sep 2014
• views: 30