C E R T ified FROM SCOTTS BLUFF COUNTY COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM CERT-ified is published quarterly January, April, July and October with Special Editions from time to time. Deadline for submitting information is the last Monday of the current quarter. Send all information via email as word document attachments or Jpeg to jeaniekingknud@yahoo.com July-August-September 2007 Vol. 4 UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAINING Scotts Bluff County CERT Team meetings are held the 3 rd Tuesday of each month at the Elks Club in Scottsbluff, NE 7:00PM July 7, 2007 8:00AM Trash Clean-up day.. Location: SB K-Mart July 17, 2007 No Training Enjoy your Summer. August 4, 2007 8:00AM Trash Clean-up day. Location: SB K-Mart August 21, 2007 No Training Trainings will resume next month. Sept 8, 2007 8:00AM Trash Clean-up day Location: SB K-Mart Sept 18, 2007--TBA Oct 16, 2007 TBA KEEP SCOTTSBLUFF-GERING BEAUTIFUL Saturday June 2, 2007, fourteen members of the Scotts Bluff County CERT TEAM walked for 3 hours along the ditches of Hwy 26 between K-Mart (East 27 th St.) and Sugar Factory Road participating in the Trash Pickup Program. Team Two got a royal chirping out from an irate little bird sitting on four very large eggs. A BIG THANKS to all of you who participated. We hope more of you will join us on July 7 th so we can get the job finished faster. N IN THIS ISSUE 1 Upcoming Events & Training 1 Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful 1 Websites 2 Membership News 3-5 Trainings and Continued Education Team Two IF YOU ARE RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER AND DO NOT WISH TO, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. jeaniekingknud@yahoo.com Check out these Websites: CERT Event Calendar website http://www.citizencorps.gov/citizencorps/eventcalendarmap.do Citizen Corp: www.citizencorps.gov Citizen Corp Newsletter Archives: www.citizencorps.gov/news/enews FEMA: www.fema.gov Information regarding disaster preparedness. www.ready.gov/america/getakit/familyneeds.html 1
Membership News KEEP SCOTTSBLUFF-GERING BEAUTIFUL Jennifer Hoevet, Coordinator Bob, Toni, Jeanie and I attended the informational meeting on May 2 nd. We have been awarded Highway 26 between Kmart and Comfort Inn, which will net us at least $800 in funds which we can use to purchase items for the group. We will need to do 4 clean up events between May 1 and September 30. As the time gets closer, notices about dates, times and schedules for the clean ups will be announced at regular training meetings and also sent out via email and the calling tree. This is an easy money maker for us, and will be easier the more members that we have participate at each clean up. The following are the planned dates for the clean ups. Please mark your calendars as we need as many volunteers (at least 20 per event)as possible for each date. June 2; July 7; August 4; Sept 8. These dates may change if there is bad weather and any changes in these dates will be sent out via email and the calling tree. Each is a Saturday and we are planning on starting at 8 am. If you can help, please meet in the Kmart parking lot under the Kmart sign near the frontage road. For each clean up, volunteers will need to wear sturdy shoes, your CERT reflective vest and leather gloves. Trash bags are supplied by Keep Scottsbluff-Gering Beautiful. Bob Hessler will be in the Kmart parking lot in his truck which has flashing lights and will also be providing water for the volunteers. You should also consider bringing your own source of water to carry with you. If you have any questions in the mean time, please contact me. Thanks for your help in advance. Jennifer Hoevet ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS Captain Brian Wasson of the Scottsbluff Police Department awarded certificates to the CERT members that participated in the March 17, 2007 Active Shooter Training at the High School. The Police Department and Captain Tom Parker of the Nebraska State Patrol send their congratulations with the way the CERT team acted and how organized the team was from moulaging, triaging to cooking. Happy Birthday to the following members: Dave Schieve July 17th (If you want your birthday acknowledged, please send me your birth date. ) TORNADO SEASON AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL WITH US. BE PREPARED! 2
CERT TRAINING AND CONTINUED EDUCATION Training Coordinator: Tim O Neal Scottsbluff County CERT Team - training meetings will be once a month on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at 7:00 pm location Scottsbluff Elks Lodge. The training session will be over by 9:00 pm each month. See page 1 for program and training information. NOTE: Trainings have been cancelled in July and August. Enjoy your summer. Special Trainings: You will be notified via email of specialized trainings that will take place outside of the regular monthly meetings. Specialized trainings may be limited to a certain number on a first come, first served basis. Sign up may be required. Regarding training dates - Check you calendar, and then check your e-mails, plus we will also use the calling tree to notify people of changes to training. Trainings will go as planned as listed on the calendar unless otherwise posted or notified. Please respond to all e-mails / communication regarding events and your participation with a yes or no that you will attend. This helps us plan on supplies for the events. Remember that the CERT Team is as strong as the weakest member and we must all strive to better ourselves. How? Train and Practice APRIL-JUNE 2007 TRAININGS If you missed any of these trainings you can go online to the FEMA websites for information on the some of the topics. April 4 th : Weather spotting Training-- http://www.fema.gov/hazard/thunderstorm/index.shtm http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shtm April 15 th. Dealing with Mother Nature--Exposure to the elements Extreme Heat: Know the Terms http://www.fema.gov/hazard/heat/index.shtm First Aid for Heat Induced Illnesses http://www.fema.gov/hazard/heat/heat_aid.shtm April 22 nd. SAR Training Drill, North of Marsland May 15 th. Advanced First Aid June 19 th. Landing Zone Training by Airlink June 23 rd CERT Rodeo held at Five Rocks. Mandatory for all members to stay in good standing May 15 th. Advanced First Aid First Aid and CPR courses were taught to members of Scotts Bluff County CERTS at the Elks Club on May 15 th. After passing the written test and practicing CPR, members were certified and will receive their cards. Points stressed were as follows: The Good Sam Law in Nebraska will protect you up to your level of training only. DO NOT put an injured person in your car to transport them to the nearest hospital. You will NOT be covered for this. Always identify yourself to the victim. When checking their level of consciousness, ask them what DAY it is, not the date. Body fluids are contaminated. Don t touch the person without gloves and goggles on. To remove your gloves, using your right hand, pinch the top of the left-hand glove and pull inside out but not all 3
CPR the way off your hand. Then, using the inside-out glove, pinch the top of the right hand glove and pull inside out encasing the glove from your left hand and dispose of the gloves. Electricity: If you find yourself in the middle of a wet area with downed power lines, do not walk normally. SHUFFLE your feet so that you do not break the connection and get electrocuted. Ethics: Do NOT talk about the victim or anything you have done for a victim to anyone else. Legal Documentation: Fill out the proper report form after giving 1 st aid. CERT does NOT have a special report form. Therefore, you must DOCUMENT EVERYTHING you have done during the emergency in your note pad and that becomes the legal document. If giving 1 st aid to a victim having an allergic reaction and they have an epinephrine injector, the injection must be given in the OUTTER ASPECT (THE SIDE) OF THE THIGH. Never give it in the top of the thigh. Heart Attack: In the field, CERT members are to tag a heart attack victim with a RED tab and move on. Stoke: Stroke victims are tagged RED in the field. Seizures: Victims experiencing seizures are tagged YELLOW. When assessing a victim, do so from behind the head. Patients tend to vomit and if you are sitting beside them you are going to get it all over you. Give 30 compressions to 2 breaths The new preferred guideline is the nipple line rather than the ziphoid process Adults: compressions must be 1 1/2-2 inches Ages 1 year to 12 year: compress 1-1 ½ inches Infants: use only 2 fingers to compress and do it much quicker. Use only air in cheeks to make quick puffs and do not overextend the neck Remember to rock and roll from the hip when performing compressions To check responsiveness if a victim appears unconscious, pinch the earlobe or rub your knuckles on their sternum. Remember, once you start compressions, you can not stop. Remember, CERT does NOT perform CPR in the field. If victim has a head injury or spinal injury, you use the jaw thrust to open the airway.................. June 19, 2007: Landing Zone Training by Air Link Janet, Air Link Nurse, instructs the CERT members on the functions of Air Link, Landing Zone Set-up and Helicopter Safety. AIR LINK established in 1995. Serves the following areas: North to Rapid City, SD; East to Kearney, NE; South to Denver, CO; West to Casper, WY.. 4
When you call Air Link these are the things they will want to know 1. Name of person or agency requesting the service 2. Location of patient, including nearby landmarks or landing area, and if the condition of the patient is appropriate (i.e. illness or injury) 3. How the injury occurred and the extent of injuries 4. Patients weight (max wt is 450 lbs and 53 girth) 5. Airway status, vital signs and level of consciousness 6. Receiving physician/hospital (if known) 7. Who is the ground contact Landing Zone Set-Up 1. Establish a LZ officer 2. Weather report conditions 3. Size 100X100feet 4. Level as possible--less than 8 degree slope 5. Hard surface; grassy; hard-packed snow. Avoid loose dirt, dust, power snow. 6. Haz-Mat LZ must be ¼ mile up wind Avoid low areas where vapors may collect. Patient must be decontaminated prior to flight 7. Free of overhead obstructions; wires, antennas, poles. Clear of debris and other hazards; Report location of trees, livestock, fences, mailboxes 8. Easy accessibility land on a road if possible Remember patient will have to be carried to helicopter. 9. Clearly mark LZ using 5 weighted cones, flares, or beacons as shown in diagram. Smoke helpful if in remote area 10. Plan for alternate LZs (pilot may determine LZ to be unsuitable) Duties of the LZ Officer 1. Communicate with helicopter 2. Clear LZ of all personnel keep a distance of 200 feet 3. Secure the LZ 4. Mark LZ on 4 corners a. colored flares can be used b. secure other lights to the ground c. if using car lights, point lights into the wind so that the lights cross in the middle of the LZ d. When spotlighting wires, spot light the POLES rather than the wires Safe Area Extreme Danger Zone Approach from front with caution Safe Area 5
Approaching the Helicopter Safety Rules 1. Never approach the helicopter unless the rotor blades have stopped turning 2. Always approach the helicopter from the front in a crouched position, maintaining eye contact with the pilot 3. Never walk behind the helicopter or under the tail section, whether or not the tail rotor is turning 4. Do not run within 100 feet of the helicopter 5. The flight crew will direct all loading and unloading of patients and equipment 6. The flight crew will open and close all helicopter doors 7. A gurney for loading th4e Air Link stretcher should be available. It should always be free of sheets or loose articles that could fly up into the rotor blades 8. Never carry or lift any object higher than your head around the helicopter 9. remove all hats that are not secured to the head so they are not sucked into the rotor blades 10. No smoking with 100 feet of the helicopter 11. A designated person should be in charge of safety and security when the helicopter lands or takes off 12. Communication with the helicopter can be maintained on pre-designated VHF and UHF frequencies 13. Hearing and eye protection is encouraged due to the fact that the helicopter engine produces high frequency sounds and rotor wash that can be harmful. The calling tree went into action shortly after 7:30A. A large tornado has ripped through Scotts Bluff County starting South and West of Gering. The Gering Fire Department and Police Department are requesting that the Scotts Bluff County CERT Team deploy to Five Rocks Amphitheater and conduct a survey of the facility and report back to the Fire Chief. Seventeen members of CERT responded immediately. The IC was designated. The injured included a Girl Scout Troop that was camping at the Amphitheater. Team One was formed and sent into the area. As more members arrived, Team Two went into action. The CERT teams administered first aid as needed on site. By 8:15 AM victims were arriving and a Tri-age station was set up. Later a morgue was set up. The Gering Public Works were called in as a downed power line was discovered and the Fire Department called as one victim was found in a Haz-Mat area. A broken water valve was shut off by the CERT Team. It was a tense moment when the call came in: CERT TEAM MEMBER DOWN! A wall has just collapsed. We need help and cribbing material. The Valley Ambulance Service was called to take victims to the local hospital. Non-critical victims were transported to another area. At 9:17AM the IC called for all CERT Team members to report to IC. The exercise was completed successfully. It was an extraordinary learning experience for all. Congratulations to our coordinator, Tim O Neal and his committee, Randy Olson and Randy Kleager for an exceptional training. At 9:18AM Randy Kleager was designated as LZ Officer. Air Link was put on stand-by. Randy Meininger gave instructions on how to call Air Link in. Randy Kleager then made the call. CERT Team members used the information they received at the June 19 th training to walk off a prospective Landing Zone site. At 9:33AM Air Link Helicopter arrived and set down. CERT Team members were then allowed to examine the helicopter once the helicopter was shut down. Thank you Air Link crew. It was a very educational training. A big THANK YOU to all CERT Team members who answered the call. 6