CERT training instills confidence

For many people, particularly women, becoming a Community Emergency Response Team volunteer is as much about confidence-building as it is about helping the community, says Bill Kerr, president and coordinator of CERT in Green Valley.

The retired Army sergeant, who has coordinated the program here for the last four and one-half years and mustered out some 238 volunteers, says CERT teaches new skills that “not only help you help others in an emergency, but also help you help yourself and your loved ones.”

For example, Kerr says, “Only about 40 percent of people know how to use a fire extinguisher and the time to learn is not when you have a fire. A large part of our classwork is confidence-building, which is why we do so much hands-on training as possible.”

A new round of CERT classes starts Thursday at the Green Valley Fire District Administration Building.

Training is free to the public and equipment, consisting of a helmet, vest, safety goggles, gloves, flashlight and whistle is also free of charge, paid for for by the federal government.

CERT volunteers are asked to complete a 20-hour course. Classes run for eight weeks in two and one half-hour sessions once a week on Thursdays.

Classes are taught by Kerr, retired RNs, Green Valley Fire District captains and some firefighters.

Topics covered over the eight weeks include emergency preparedness, fire safety, emergency medical operations, triage, first aid, light search and rescue, CERT organization, disaster psychology, terrorism, and a disaster simulation drill.

Kerr describes the classes as “challenging and very hands-on. The worst thing you can do in class is be someone who just wants to come and listen to a lecture.”

“There are no tests involved in class and our members are not placed in hazardous situations. No matter what people do, it’s a training experience,” he said.

“We say there’s not such thing as doing something wrong because the only thing you can do wrong in an emergency is to do nothing.

“We teach our volunteers ways they can do things better, with lots of live demonstrations, such as putting out a real fire and first aid training. In our first aid simulations, for example, we spit the class in half—half responders, half patients and then rotate. They all get a chance,” Kerr said.

Because of the wide range of experience and expertise among Green Valley residents, Kerr said, he and the other instructors don’t hesitate to step aside and let class members take over to share their own skills, knowledge and insights.

CERT volunteers, who currently range in age from 45 to the mid-80s, include retired doctors, nurses, fire captains and firefighters, law enforcement professionals as well as others who may have never received emergency training.

“We have engineers, businesspeople, teachers, ham radio operations and a fair cross-section of people from all walks of life. That’s what gives us our greatest strength,” Kerr explained.

Hands-on instruction includes first aid, splinting, dealing with bleeding and breathing problems, stabilization for shock, opening an airway, using a fire extinguisher, turning off utilities, setting up rehabilitation centers for rehydration and rest, immunization clinics, evacuating neighborhoods , and helping victims deal with stress and displacement.

The GVCERT, which is incorporated as a 501-C-3 stand-alone, non-profit organization, includes a roughly equal ratio of men and women and produced a graduation class of 21 in December.

Kerr said one his other goals for the future is to work with the Elephant Head Volunteer Fire Department and offer classes for residents in that area as well as in Sahuarita and Tubac.

Those interested in getting more information or signing up for the training course, can call Kerr at 399-1234.

Kathy Engle is a freelance writer. Contact her at kdengle@earthlink. net.