CERT Responder Magazine_Vol 3 issue 2

Mission:

Staff

PUBLISHERS: Bob Abrams, Fran Sherman Chris Wahoski

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Theresa Arnett, Theodore Cochran, Vin DiTizio, Robert Freeman, Lillie Jackson, Chris Jonckheer, Robert LoRee III, Jay Manley, Brett Postelli, Erika Rogers Marino, Taylor Robinson, Mark Rosenblum

EDITOR/CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Fran Sherman

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING: Bob Abrams

OFFICE MANAGER: Chris Wahoski

Letter from CERT Responder Magazine

Greetings Subscribers, We just wanted to take a minute to thank those of you who have sent stories about your teams, and the great work and training you are doing in your communities.

As you know, this is the reason the magazine was developed: to share training, education, and information, ensuring that all CERT groups around the world succeed. We are looking forward to more of these stories in future editions of the magazine.

On another note, you will soon be seeing the new and improved website of CERT Responder Magazine. It is our hope that you find it informative and user friendly. As always, we would like to hear your thoughts about the new site.

Thank you for all you do and thank you for subscribing to CERT Responder Magazine.

“Serving those who serve their communities” CERT Responder Magazine

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

ARES DEPLOYMENT AT THE CAMP FIRE

BY THEODORE COCHRAN

My name is Theodore Cochran, Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Butte County Amateur Radio Emergency Services, ARRL ARES ID 007CA01. Our home base is Chico/Oroville, California less than 30 minutes from Paradise and the Camp Fire incident. I also am a COMT for CalOES CRU Region 3. This is my story of deployments with ARES and CalOES.

On the 8th of November, 2018, at approximately 0600, my Butte Local frequency for CALFIRE began station response calls for a vegetation fire at Camp Creek Road: a problem on a PG&E power transmission line above Poe Dam near Pulga, California. With the number of alarms going out for resources, and evacuation orders being issued by the SO, I knew ARC and ARES were going to be deployed. I contacted Dale Anderson, the Emergency Coordinator, giving him a heads up to start notifications and preparation to support two or more shelter locations. My teams had been baptized by fire as a brand new ARES group of 7 members (now 10), starting with the 2016 Oroville Damn incident. This would make their 8th deployment. We have overcome major challenges, and rebuilt ARES from the ground up. One of the major issues outside of adequate go kits was ARC understanding they need us— our need to prove our equipment and develop the proper network support at the upper levels, so we could help during major incidents when our ability was needed the most. The extensive training program I implemented in conjunction with weekend setup proved itself each time we were deployed. Each deployment, the team’s performance increased in ability by 100%. When the call came to support the Camp Fire we were fully capable.

Our staging area was to be the Tactical call sign “Naz Shelter”. During the drive home, the plumes of smoke were visible, as the size of the fire gained momentum. The traffic caused by the evacuations and fire support became more demanding as evacuation/entry routes were either cut off or slowed to a crawl. I knew my time with my ARES team would be short, and CalOES would be activated in support. What I wasn’t expecting was my role in this event to become two-fold, supporting both agencies.

The traffic caused by the evacuations and fire support became more demanding, and evacuation/entry routes were either cut off or slowed to a crawl.

The deploy call for the Camp Fire came while I was at work 65 miles away. I got immediate emergency leave authorization, and headed home to gather my go kit and setup at the Church of the Nazarene shelter in Oroville. The call for additional shelters had not yet gone out.

I arrived home to gather my gear about 0830 due to congested traffic north on highway 70. I loaded up as quickly as possible, checking off equipment needs mentally in my head in the process. I arrived at the shelter about 0900, checked in, got instructions for where to set up, and gave the shelter manager the heads up that we would be operational shortly. Then I asked the important question: what communications do you need? The response was internet was slow and questionable, and cell coverage for most of the phone providers was almost as bad. The cell phone issue was not one I was going to be able to fix right away. However, I could provide a solution for the failing internet. We set up VHF radio communications to the ARC headquarters DOC through the Sutter Buttes repeater. This included

setting up Winlink Express Packet Radio through K-Node KBERR to the KG6SJT gateway. I sent a CSEN message that NAZ Shelter com would be operational at 1030 hrs to CalOES Watch Center, ARC HQ, and our ARES SEC. Looking back, this was an amazing feat, since during the setup I had two dual band antennas damaged from the high winds while staking down the masts. I had to make field repairs to make them functional, which delayed the setup. While all of this was going on, I was being hit by countless coordination issues, and my cell phone was vibrating off the hook. When I finally had an opportunity to answer these messages and calls, I had 38 priorities to resolve on top of what was happening at the shelter. At 1030 hours, a second shelter was opened at the neighborhood church. The EC and the Glen County EC went there with two of our team members and two Glen County trainees. This was Glen County’s first deployment under a new EC (who was my former safety officer). We brought them into our team to train with us, boosting our team numbers. This enabled my teams to concentrate more on coordination tasks as things expanded. Due to the delays in routing traffic outbound and inbound to Chico, it took them from 1000-1400 just to get into Chico, then another two hours to get to the shelter and set up. By 2000 hours, shelters in Butte County were at 4 and evacuations were still going on. I had already requested additional support from the surrounding counties ARES units to cover those we were not able to assist. We had barely gotten into the first 24hrs of the deployment, and we were just beginning. CERT

PARTNERSHIP FOR SUCCESS

GREAT NEWS FOR THE ST LOUIS REGION

The Meramec Valley Citizen Corps Council, a coalition of CERT programs in the Southwest and Western portions of St Louis County, has partnered with St Louis Community College to offer FREE CERT training. To sign up, visit https://www.stlcc.edu/

In the fall of 2017, we offered our first class located at the Wildwood Missouri campus. Since then we have offered two classes a year plus added another campus located in Florissant Missouri. Each class consisting of 25+ students. This partnership has added more than 150+ new highly trained CERT members throughout the region.

We are thankful to our CERT members and have quite a lot of disasters to respond to in the Midwest. Such as our recent flooding on the Meramec River that took the national spotlight in both 2015 and 2017.

NEW CREST LEVEL

The flood of December 2015 happened between Christmas and New Year’s, not a good time of the year for a flood and our training and volunteers were put to the test. Record river levels and massive destruction hit the region. Our businesses of downtown Eureka were under water. We did everything to tried to save them, and the water won.

New Crest: 46.06 feet, prior level 42.9 feet from 1982.

LEARNING FROM OUR PAST

Then it happened again with a new crest record in just 16 short months, late April, early May of 2017, the people of Eureka Missouri and surrounding communities have twice braced for and dealt with the “100-year” flood that left damage, financial loss and heartache in their wake. We learned a lot from the flood of 2015 and used our knowledge and skills with the flood of 2017. This was the first time on record we were able to save the downtown businesses and kept the water out. Managing to keep the water on the other side of the sandbag levee was a huge feat. Strategic planning and sandbagging along with many CERT Volunteers were the keys to success.

New Crest: 46.11 feet

PREPARING FOR THE NEXT FLOOD AND OTHER DISASTERS

We as CERT members train throughout the year and on new equipment too such as the automatic sandbagger which will be a game changer for the next one.

Spring showers may bring May flowers…and the rains of 2019 have been heavy in our region yet spread out enough to not cause major damage.

We are left wondering how soon the next catastrophic flood or disaster will arrive, we will be CERT ready and more equipped to handle whatever comes our way. CERT

PHOTOS AND ARTICLE BY THERESA ARNETT, EUREKA CERT, MVCCC

why KNOT?

PART 8 IN OUR ONGOING SERIES

TWO HALF-HITCHES

The TWO HALF-HITCHES is a binding knot or hitch knot. It consists of an overhand knot tied around a post, followed by a half-hitch. Equivalently, it consists of a half-turn around a post followed by a clove hitch of the running end around the standing part. This knot is also sometimes referred to as a clove hitch over itself, or double half-hitch.

USES

• Used to tie a rope to a tree, boat, or any object.

• Often used in a supporting role, for example to increase the security of a primary knot.

• Commonly used to tie guy lines onto a dining fly.

• Helpful in moving large objects, for example, logs.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wrap the rope around a support.

2. Pass the end through the loop.

3. Wrap it around the standing part.

4. Tighten to complete.

INCLUDING YOUTH IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

BY MARK ROSENBLUM, MID AMERICA TEEN CERT DIRECTOR

Involving youth in disaster planning and recovery will increase their awareness of hazardous situations that may occur, and teach them how to respond in various types of emergencies.

When a disaster strikes, not only adults will be affected, but children as well. Numerous studies have shown the importance of early engagement of children in planning and preparedness efforts for disasters. Youth who have participated in TEEN CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and various other risk reduction programs have demonstrated greater knowledge and understanding of disaster issues and preparedness. Children also actively promote a better readiness

in their communities, school surroundings and home environment. By involving youth in disaster planning well in advance of an emergency situation, they will be better equipped to respond appropriately and calmly when confronted with an actual event.

Children under the age of 18 in the United States are at an alltime high of 74.2 million, and make up nearly 24 percent of the total U.S. population. Several challenges, such as being separated

from their parents, or being too young to drive a vehicle, may confront youth during an emergency. Young people are extremely resilient and can contribute ideas and actions during a disaster.

The Mid America TEEN CERT program, based in western St. Charles County, Missouri, recognizes the importance of directing emergency preparedness training to both youth and adults. Parents and their children should take the training together to make sure that reunification plans are in place, and to provide support to help youth cope during and after an emergency situation. Family plans need to be prepared, practiced, and ready to support the needs of children. Youth can experience stress when they don’t understand dangerous experiences and parents can identify their children’s fear of disasters.

Involving youth in a volunteer program such as TEEN CERT and helping

others can give children a sense of control and security, and promote a positive outlook. Learning about emergency preparation as a family is important so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency. Include the entire family in preparation activities, such as building a family emergency kit. Children can feel reassured knowing there’s a plan in place.

The basic goal is to make children, families, and communities less vulnerable, and more resilient and safe. It is important that communities and schools take specific actions to improve preparedness, response, and recovery for children. There are several community-based programs addressing youth and family preparedness such as Mid America TEEN CERT; however, with regard to youth we should be praying for the best and preparing for the worst. Unfortunately, politics and adequate funding play a crucial

role in the lack of youth preparedness. Youth at all ages can be trained about emergencies, and what to do if an emergency situation arises. Most emergency situations can be handled when a child has an action plan to use, and knowing what to do can make a huge difference in an emergency. For instance, an important part of preparedness training is to create a sense of serenity and responsible behavior to encourage logical and practical thinking. With repeated practice of an emergency plan, youth, as well as adults, will know what they need to do, where they are to meet up, and any other action that is important for the situation to stay out of harm’s way.

Children enjoy being part of a team and adults should assign them duties that make them feel included. Lastly, practice your plan and drills – youth and adults do best with repeated practice. CERT For more information about Mid America TEEN CERT or youth preparedness in general, contact Mark Rosenblum at mark.rosenblum@outlook.com, or visit the program’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/MIDAMERICATEENCERT. Mid America TEEN CERT [MATC] is currently recognized as the top Emergency Preparedness Program and Youth Program in Missouri, and best Emergency Preparedness Training Program and Outstanding Youth Training Program in America.

POLK COUNTY FIRE RESCUE (PCFR) TEEN CERT PROGRAM

Well Received by Local Students, Shows Great Promise for the Future

BY CHRIS JONCKHEER, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

PAlready the host of a well-established and continuously growing adult CERT program, PCFR began to test the waters with its inaugural Teen CERT pilot program in early October at Bartow High School. This first class, which was hosted in conjunction with the school’s HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) program, was rapidly filled over its seating capacity, with well over 50 students expressing interest in becoming certified Teen CERT members.

Lake Gibson High School was the second area school to host a Teen CERT program. The same high level of interest was shown once again with well over 50 students signing up, who were eager to learn how they could be prepared to assist their community in a time of need. Both of the pilot groups were so eager to become a part of this program that they attended Teen CERT certification classes on a pair of holiday weekends where most students would much rather be off enjoying the perfect Florida weather.

FEMA’s (Federal Emergency Management Agency) CERT program trains everyday citizen volunteers to respond during

olk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) in partnership with the Polk County Public School Board has held its first set of Teen CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) certification classes with great success and interest from students.

disasters and provide help until professional responders are able to arrive. Members complete an initial basic training course and then participate in ongoing advanced training to maintain and enhance their skills. Serving a vital role in disaster response, they are then able to be activated for various events within the community.

Teen CERT seeks to further expand these skill sets to young adults adding another level of natural disaster response. With a 20-hour curriculum to complete the training, the students will learn how to extinguish small fires, conduct light search and rescue, assists those who are injured, set up medical treatment areas, assist emergency responders and help reduce survivor stress.

Moving forward, Polk County Fire Rescue’s administration has given the program the “ok” to advance this from a pilot program to a fulltime program, and Polk County Fire Rescue’s CERT director hopes to add an additional two schools per year. Currently, several other area schools have shown great interest in bringing the new program to their students. CERT

Dietrich Biemiller

Coordinator of the Snohomish County Trackers Special Operations Group Team

Snohomish, Washington

Ihave been a Search and Rescue Tracker since 2012, and I am the Coordinator of the Snohomish County Trackers Special Operations Group Team. I have attained the Journeyman Certification level from the Joel Hardin Professional Tracking Services Visual Tracking and Training Inc. I have instructed Law Enforcement, Mountain Rescue Association, and SAR personnel in tracking, around the US and in Canada. I have been deployed on many tracking operations, consisting of searches for missing persons, and crime scene investigations including murders, suicides, arsons, and assaults. I am also a practicing Attorney

WHAT IS THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING A COORDINATOR FOR SNOHOMISH COUNTY TRACKERS?

Being of use to the County and community, and developing an effective team of trackers to accomplish that end by finding the lost and helping law enforcement to bring criminals to justice.

WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT?

I had a severe heart attack a few years ago, and have not fully recovered. I consider just getting out and doing this in whatever limited capacity I am able to be the accomplishment I am most proud of. It shows that people can volunteer to serve in some capacity regardless of their age, ability level, and even disability.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN?

I write Science Fiction books, available at Amazon (shameless plug!)

HOW CAN THE PUBLIC SAY “THANK YOU” AND MAKE YOUR WORK EASIER?

They can do both by donating their time, talents and treasure to their local CERT and SAR teams. It would also help for people not to get lost, and quit with the criminal activities already!

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST INFLUENCE?

Christina Vaughan, the former Coordinator of the team, and Bob Brady the Training Coordinator. And of course Joel Hardin and his fine cadre of instructors and fellow trackers around the country. CERT

sUAS Search Patterns

for Search and Rescue

BY JAY MANLEY

So far, we’ve talked about you prepping yourself to use a sUAS for search and rescue efforts, understanding the ICS structure, thinking about the team needed to be successful, and one potential software package that might aid in your efforts. What we haven’t talked yet about is the actual flying portion of these efforts, and the potential search patterns that could help you, and the benefits of each. Does this mean that we are done talking about weather, flying locations, or personnel? Absolutely not. But since Spring seems to be peeking its head out from under the blanket of snow, I thought that you might need this information sooner than later.

DIRECT / PATH SEARCH

This search works great for hiking trails or paths, or maybe a route that someone drove or walked along before going missing. The idea here is that you fly at a high enough altitude to clear all obstacles— for instance, maybe 50’ higher than any tree or powerline in the area—and turn your gimble downward and fly along what you assume was the path that someone may have taken from Point A to Point B. I have found the best results with using a gimble at an angle between 45-60 degrees downward. If I position it 90 degrees straight down, I have found it not quite as useful as the oblique angle tends to be more understandable to the eye than a straight-down birds eye view. If you keep your flying speed to about 1/2 of the speed you assume a vehicle was traveling, if looking for a vehicle, that works well. For a human or animal, I tend to use about 10 mph as my flight speed, though if there are distractions along the route; i.e. other humans or animals; I will typically slow near those to identify them before moving my speed back up again.

CREEPING LINE SEARCH

This is similar to our direct/path search, but instead of flying “straight” to your target end point, you widen it by first going forward a set amount, but then making a series of turns that widen your apparent path. This is especially helpful if you are concerned that someone/something might have gone off-trail, but is still near it, and it compensates for the fact that a camera on a sUAS gives you a fairly narrow field of view. The larger image shown is of these two first searches so that you can see the difference between the two overlaid upon each other.

EXPANDING SQUARE OR SECTOR SEARCH

This one is great if you know that your target started at a specific spot, but you have no idea where they went from that point. You take off at or near that point, and start flying an ever-expanding square. Basically, two sides are equal length, but then the next two are longer, such as the first two legs being 100’, and assuming all left turns, the 3rd and 4th legs would be 200’, the 5th and 6th legs would be 300’, and ongoing. If you draw

this out, you’ll notice that you don’t cross lines at all and that you’re always within 100’ of your previous line. If you figure out for your altitude the best field of view you can get, and then allow for some overlap, you’ll know how long each leg should likely be. Often, I think you’ll find that it’ll be closer to 60-75’ legs, and while it may seem like it takes a while to get very far away from you, it’ll go more rapidly as the legs grow in length. This works especially well for searches such as a small child in a field, or a missing dog that may have wandered off.

AREA GRID SEARCH

These searches are a bit different. Typically, you are flying a parallel line route, starting at one edge of a square or rectangle area, and then you are flying out a set distance, spacing yourself over a certain distance, and then returning. This can be automated with several packages that are currently available, such as DroneDeploy, but be aware that they all tend to default the gimble to a 90 degree down angle. This can be OK, however, as typically area or grid searches are done when it isn’t known that the target is even in that grid and you are attempting to cover as much area as quickly as possible. Sometimes it may even take multiple batteries to cover the area if you’re doing something, say, the size of a quarter-section of farmland. If you are automating it, I would suggest that you set the software up to do at least a 70% overlap and fly it no quicker than 15mph so that your eyes can pick out any potential targets. Also, if you are flying this type of mission, understand how to interrupt the flight if you see a

potential target and need to break off from the automated flying.

PROBABILITY OF DETECTION (POD)

Now that you understand the search patterns, I want you to think about this. What is the likelihood that, with one pass over a target, you will find it? 100%, 50%, less? Well, it depends. When we’re flying in an aircraft with 3 people in the plane searching over bare, flat, nearly treeless North Dakota, even then the probability is somewhat high, at about 70% (1-mile spacings) but it isn’t 100%. In fact, if we did two flights over the same area but maybe perpendicular to the first search, it does rise, maybe as high as 85%, but even there, it isn’t 100%. The truth is, we could fly over it 5 times, but the chance of finding a target with each subsequent search raises the POD only a slight amount each time. This isn’t suggesting that the 2nd, 3rd, or even 7th search of one area isn’t warranted. It’s just that you need to be aware that the certainty of finding a target on any one pass is not 100% even on the best of days, and decreases as you continue to re-search the same area.

While I’d like to be able to give you a chart that would tell you your POD during a mission, there hasn’t yet been enough research in this area to come up with information that correlates enough to give us this data. Maybe you can help be the one that focuses on this aspect!

WRAP-UP THOUGHTS

I would suggest that you get out there, try flying each of these types of missions, both in a “stick flying” (hand flying) way and again, if you are so inclined, using any available software to automate it. Practice breaking off from a search, finding a false positive, and then re-starting the search where you left off. Learn how to read the coordinates of the sUAS so you can direct resources directly to the target, whether that be on your display or by being able to direct them via following your flight path. And always bring a visual observer to help be your extra hands, ears, and eyes for safety!

Once you perfect these searches, and understand the probability of detection limitation, you will be the valuable asset that your community needs in times of crisis. CERT

S.T.O.R.M. Search & Rescue/CERT

And How It Started (Part 2)

BY ROBERT LOREE III

After responding to Harvey, in 2017, I returned to Michigan to regroup and gather supplies for Hurricane Irma which was on the way and a Cat 5. Chainsaws, diesel fuel, and petro gasoline were the number one priorities for the trip ahead. Planning ahead for what you may need is very important, since you can’t just run to Home Depot or a gas station and pick it up in a disaster zone.

I started the 26-hour trip from Michigan to Florida. This would mark Round 2 of search and rescue. I had recently paid off several of my credit cards and had enough credit to fund the trip. I knew I was going to be gone longer this time, so I also started a Facebook Fundraiser to help offset personal cost and get assistance for all the work ahead.

The group I deployed with in Texas for Harvey used a mobile app called Zello, a walkie talkie kind of app that works even when 911 communications and cell towers are down. (Lesson 5, Have COMMS) On my trip down to Florida I had been using this app to communicate with the team in Pensacola, our meet up destination. The team heard rumors that there was a large

evacuation in Florida, as a result there were fuel shortages as far north as Georgia. I stopped just north of Georgia and filled up two 55-gallon drums in the back of my truck with diesel. When I arrived in Pensacola, I noticed a smaller group this time, 20 trucks with 6 boats and a large 16-foot enclosed trailer full of donated medical supplies, food, and other relief items. Once we said our hello’s, we started our convoy south to a Sarasota storage garage that was being used as an Incident Command Post. We got there at about 8pm on September 10th, and Irma had been downgraded to a category 3 and was now above us. We rode the rest of Irma out in the storage garage. Once Irma had subsided enough, we prepped and headed out around 11pm. Our first rescue was in

Bonita Springs, a large trailer house community occupied by many senior citizens. All power, all streetlights, were down. We came across a couple of Lee County Sheriff’s deputies who were standing sentry outside the park. They informed us there were some senior citizens inside, but most of the people had already been evacuated, and the local fire department had gotten hit quite hard and was overwhelmed with the amount of calls coming in. Every fire department and EMS unit in town was dealing with so much activity, it was like they were all fighting five alarm fires. They were overtasked, understaffed, and unable to assist their jurisdiction, let alone each other, and to make things worse, all 911 comms were down.

We put in our Jon boat and headed into the trailer park. Because it was nighttime and approximately 1 AM in the morning with no power, it was virtually pitch black. We had flashlights and helmet lights but the water was 4 to 6 feet deep and black as the night. There were areas too shallow for the boat to get through, so we had to get out of the boat and drag it through the shallow areas until we were back in deeper water. We came across several families in need of rescue. We assisted the families

into the Jon boat, but we had to get out of the boat and pull it with them in it. I had a long power line pole, the kind that linemen use for power lines. I was pulling the boat from the front while Brian was pushing the boat from the rear. I was using the line poll to poke around in front of me so that I wouldn’t stumble over something or fall in a hole. I hit something with the pole, it was big and it moved. Suddenly, right in front of me, this tail came out of the water and splashed about 10 feet away. IT WAS AN ALLIGATOR!!!! I’m a Yankee and I am not use to gators. It never occurred to me to ask, nor did the Sheriffs tell us, that this trailer park was surrounded by swamps infested with gators, water moccasins and other scary things. There were banks built up around the park with pine trees and palms trees planted on top. This separated the park from the swamps and kept the gators away as well. But hurricane Irma had just come through and everything was flooded, so the gators were nervous and everywhere. (Lesson 6, Know what you’re going into) thank God this gator swam away and was just as scared of me as I was of it.

We continue doing boat rescues throughout the night and continued

moving southward before ending up in Everglade city. One of our rescues involved rescuing two llamas. A woman had just had both her knees replaced and had stitches from her lower thigh to her shin on both legs. She was walking around in the water without waders or anything. This water was full of chemicals and sewage from septic tanks that had overflown from the floods. She refused to go to the hospital or leave her flooded home unless somebody rescued her animals. She had put the llamas inside her house along with three goats. We had to coax the llamas out of the house. The tiled floors made it very difficult because llamas have hooves which are like ice skates on tile. The llamas laid down and we had to push them towards the door to go outside. The humidity and the heat this day was about 100° (Lesson 7, stay hydrated) we were sweating buckets. Once we got these 300 or 400-pound animals outside, they were able to walk through the water which was up to their long necks. We lured them to a large rock protruding out of the water and pulled our Jon boat over to the rock. By the grace of God, we coaxed the llamas up onto the rock and into the Jon boat. It was comical and difficult, but the hard

work was rewarding. Somebody had made contact with some locals who had horse trailers. We pulled the Llamas to dry land where the trailers were waiting. By now it was evening, September 11th, and this date had not escaped me. I thought of what this date meant to our nation, and it inspired me to carry on. The sun was out, and Florida’s good channel system allowed for much of the flooding to subside already. We spent most of our trip southward moving trees out of the roads with chainsaws and tow straps so emergency management vehicles could get in and out of areas as needed. We wanted to go further south—we had heard that the Florida Keys got hit really hard with a Cat 5, the eye dead center over Marathon and Big Pine Key. There was a military checkpoint set up just outside of Key Largo and unless you were official emergency management or a 501©(3) relief agency, were not being allowed in. In fact, the department of defense had a list of organizations and agencies they were allowing in, and if you weren’t on that list, you weren’t getting in. (Lesson 8, have training certifications and agency affiliations to be taken seriously.)

So we all traveled back to Sarasota to re-

group. Half of the guys decided to go back home—they came to Florida to do water rescues. Without the need for water rescue in most of the mainland, they decided they were going back to their families. We said our goodbyes and I watched them leave. The men that were remaining made a pretty good team. In fact, after talking to each other, we realized it was a lot like a spec ops team. All military veterans. A boat and airplane mechanic, a diver, a sea vessel captain familiar with the Florida Keys, two young adventurous types that made really good recon guys, and a box truck with AC throughout that we were able to use as a mobile command center. The back of it was packed with food and medical supplies and toiletries for the team. After discussing plans, we all decided we would try to go down to the Keys the very next morning and get through the checkpoint.

Our two recon guys had gone ahead of everybody else to the checkpoint to see if they could find out about this list, or if there was anyone else at the checkpoint going in that we could associate with. They called back with the name of three organizations they had connected with. They told us to mention the names of

these organizations at the checkpoint, and let them know that we were working with them now. We went, it worked, we were in past the DOD Checkpoint and in KEY Largo.

Our first stop was at some Club in Key Largo with a boat ramp. The word was that rescues were still being done in the southern parts of the keys, and that it looked like a wasteland. There were areas like Big Torch and Little Torch Key where roads had been washed out, creating little islands at the ends of these roadways, cutting them off from the mainland, surrounded by the ocean on one side and big washed out roads on the other. All stores, restaurants, food, you name it, were closed. Because the keys are so isolated with only one way in and out, there was no food or water getting in, not enough, and many people couldn’t get to it anyway. When the storm came in, it came from Oceanside to Gulf side with a surge as big as 6 feet in most areas, and up to 12 feet in others. It swept coast-to-coast. What the wind at Cat 5 didn’t destroy, the surge did.

The club in Key Largo was letting us use their boat ramp. Locals who didn’t lose

their water vessels were showing up to put their boats in. These are large boats, cabin cruiser types, scarabs. They were filling them with water, food, and other necessities, and taking them to Big and Little Torch Key. Further south, there was another checkpoint in Marathon and they weren’t letting anybody past that, only FEMA, DOD, Florida Fish and Wildlife, localized state police, and Monroe County Officials beyond that point. So the only way to get relief supplies or rescue anyone was to put boats in the water in Key Largo, and travel that distance to the other keys. This required people who were familiar with the Keys and their waters. Especially after a hurricane with such a large surge comes through. Everything had changed terrain wise. The sandbars had moved, and were now in new locations; the route you used to take with your boat was no longer accessible or passable, and the channels were full of debris. There were capsized watercraft everywhere, and motor vehicles, land vehicles, that had been pushed out into the ocean on the Gulf side, the side we had to navigate. We continued doing rescues like that

for a couple days. The Marathon Key checkpoint opened and started letting us through. I stayed in the Keys for 30 days, watching, observing, listening, and gathering information as much as I could in emergency management and relief. I wanted to take home what I learned, and turn it into something. I noticed that rescue efforts last 1 to 1 1/2 weeks on average, and are 14-day deployments for traditional emergency management. After this, rescue agencies pull out, and the relief agencies come in and stay for about 30 days. But when infrastructure is ruined, it takes these relief agencies a long time to get in and get set up. Most have to make contacts by phone, if the lines are up and operational. Or by getting boots on the ground and going to the local authorities and municipalities to establish contacts. This is how I discovered a thing called EOC, The Federal, State, and Local levels of Emergency Management Command. These agencies are comprised of traditional Government and Non-Government Organizations (NGO’s), 501©3 nonprofits in most cases. By the time traditional NGO’s make contact with the right

people in government, get permission, and find suitable warehousing to bring trucks in with relief supplies, much time has gone by, time that survivors of major disasters can’t afford. Remember, by now we are week two into the disaster, and people are suffering. I couldn’t help but think something could be done to shorten that time span between rescue and relief. I still didn’t know what that was, but I was determined to go home and find out. I had a 36-hour drive ahead of me alone, and lots of time to think and make some calls.

When I got home, one of the first people I called was my cousin, Leon. He had reached out to me while I was in the Keys. He said to come home, and he would put me in touch with his boss, Captain Shane Greer of Chocowinity EMS/SAR, and one of only 17 National CERT instructors, about putting something together. Wait...CERT? What’s that? I needed to know more and was determined to do so.

For more information on S.T.O.R.M. Search and Rescue/ CERT please visit www.stormsearchandrecue.com or subscribe to CERT Responder Magazine. CERT

REAL OR SIMULATION?

Personal After-Action Report

BY VIN DITIZIO, KD2LOS, PORT RICHMOND CERT AND RESCUE, STATEN ISLAND

Iwas leading a small team of volunteers into the building searching for victims. The engineer’s mark on the earthquake damaged building was a rectangle with a single diagonal slash, meaning moderate damage. An “X” would have meant heavy damage that is beyond the scope of our CERT training.

We made the single slash on the building, and wrote our team name, number of people, time, and date. We would complete the mark on the way out with another slash making an “X”, with symbols for what we found in there. If something happened to us inside, the incomplete mark would tell other rescuers that we never came out, and it would aid in our rescue.

As we entered, fallen objects had us crawling instead of walking. A fire to our left was small enough to be handled by fire extinguishers, so I called on the radio for a fire team. Anything bigger than a trash can fire is too big for extinguishers, and we would have to leave. A house fire can double in size every 30 seconds, so leaving is all you may have time for.

With the fire out, we continued. Everything was dark except for our flashlights. Smoke hung in the air, limiting visibility. Rubble was everywhere, forcing us to clear a path. We could hear people crying out for help. A hole in the floor, had we missed it, would have caused one of us to fall into the basement. Electrical wires hanging down were an electrocution hazard, and they had to be avoided. Some victims were describing their injuries, others were unconscious. We needed to do triage, identifying the people whose injuries were most serious, so we could get them out first.

As I had expected, the reality of the situation had all of my physical training fail me. Nothing worked under this stress. It didn’t matter that this was a simulation. The rubble was empty cardboard boxes. The fire was simulated by a machine. The smoke was generated by gadgets blowing steam, filling the place with a fog. A black plastic bag taped to the floor simulated a hole. Hanging ropes were wires. Volunteers who were coached in how to act out certain injuries were the ones crying out. Dummies were the unconscious or dead.

It didn’t matter. When something is just real enough, especially human voices crying out for help, there are parts of the brain that just don’t know the difference between real and simulation, and stress ensues.

As the leader, I was failing. I looked over victims with my team but couldn’t piece together what to do next. We were rotated out, and a new team went in. In a real smoke-filled house, this rotation might be necessary.

We went in a second time, this time with boards on which to strap patients to carry them out. Still confused. Rotated out.

The third time we went in, an experienced CERT team member (Barry Sykes) who had been sitting amongst the boxes all along called out “who is the team leader?” “I am,” I said.

He then started coaching me.

As we crouched down to go through a tunnel of tables and boxes, I heard him say “Vin, you go last. Resist the urge. Let your team go in...” As I bent over to examine a victim, I heard “leave him alone, let your team do it.” When I went into a room first, I heard “don’t go in, let the team go in.”

It hadn’t mattered that I took multiple FEMA courses on the Incident Command System, and that I was supposed to know what a leader does and does not do. That was just knowledge. Now I was feeling my body actually do it. This was wisdom.

I could finally process the knowledge that a leader stays back and lets his team work. He makes decisions based on what they see. Every time I would kneel down to examine a victim, the team was totally leaderless.

We finally got a victim strapped to a board and out the door before we were rotated again. But what about real disaster? What about our future and what we are likely to face?

The thought crossed my mind during the exercise that in a sudden disaster, this could be my house, and I could be the leader of a team that is my family.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE EXERCISES

For me the key to progress was when I was coached. Otherwise I would have gone into that room a hundred times and made the same mistake. There was just no way for me to progress beyond that point.

I can see the value in failure. Feeling the difference before and after coaching is unforgettable. I’d recommend letting a team fail once, get coached the second time, then see if it stuck a third time. If there’s only time for one chance in, I’d go with some coaching.

We only had a month to prepare for this, as I recall, and this created a sort of desperation to get ready. It seemed like more people came to meetings for this reason. A meeting with triage training out of the blue isn’t as important somehow as one that is getting us ready for an exciting event. Doing it twice a year may create a little laziness. Why go to a readiness meeting when it’s 6 months away? Three or four times a year would be ideal.

In general, I think this is a winning formula for energizing the team.

I’d also like to suggest that we extend the most sincere and official thanks to all the volunteer victims. They sat in a dark foggy room full of boxes all day crying for help. This provided a great part of the effect and they should be thanked profusely. CERT

HAMDEN CERT SUCCESS:

Thanks to Strong Ties with Local Fire & Police Departments

BY ROBERT FREEMAN | PHOTOS: HAMDEN CERT MEMBER JOHN HOMER

First, you take care of yourself and family, then your neighbors, and then your community!

Over the last 15 years, Hamden’s CERT members have assisted our community during fires, hazardous material incidents, missing person searches, weather-related emergencies, mountain search and rescues at Sleeping Giant State Park, and emergency sheltering operations, in addition to attending the 15 to 20 planned community events during the year. It was also an honor for the Hamden CERT members to assist at the Kleen Energy Explosion Disaster (Largest natural gas explosion in history) for three days in Middletown, Ct., assisting with security and accountability on February 7, 2010. Hamden CERT was also present after the most recent tornado of May 15, 2018. During the 3-day POD

(Point of Distributions) Storm Center, the Hamden CERT Members gave out over 325 cases of bottled water, hundreds of gallons of potable water, and non- perishable food and snacks. They also supplied multiple charging stations to 79 families serving 234 individuals, while volunteering over 323 service hours. The team also has monthly training exercises and participates in community events, as well as activations of the town’s emergency operations center.

While some people may think that firefighters, police and paramedics will be on the scene right away when a disaster strikes, they could easily be inundated with calls for help in an emergen-

cy, or the nature of the disaster might cut off access for a time. This is where CERT, like other Emergency Volunteer Organizations, step up to fill the gap until paid reinforcements can arrive. In this case, Hamden CERT is in a very secure situation not found by other CERT Programs. Hamden CERT is very fortunate to have a great working relationship with its paid combination fire department and town police department. One of the main reasons for our success is this rewarding relationship with our fire and police chief, and the rank and file of both departments. Our team members have attained a personal relationship with many of our paid police and fire personnel both on and off duty. It is not unusual for us to hang out together and support any of our department’s social or fund raising events!

Another reason for the success of our program is the outstanding team cooperation with our town leaders and department heads, which is the backbone of any volunteer organization! We are so thankful for the ongoing support that we receive from our Mayor, Curt Leng, who has supported our team for many years, and was responsible for the purchase of our 6-seat golf cart that is used at all 17 of our annual community events. Mayor Leng was also instrumental in the complete refurbishing of our command vehicle back in 2014. Fire Chief Gary Merwede, who also serves as our Emergency Management Director, has helped restructure our team to be more effective with our rehabilitation procedures, and has gone out of his way to make sure that all our needs are met. He also ensures that our fire-department-provided command vehicle is always ready to respond when needed. Team Manager, Dave Lewis, and Administrative Chief, Deb DiLeone, who contribute many hours of work behind the scenes, complete this team of individuals helping us to be the team that we are!

Of the 106 members on our roster, we have 94 sworn members currently trained, and more than 60% are active with the team. We are always recruiting more people with our 2 basic training classes held each year to get more individuals involved. The classes strengthen our numbers and give people skills needed to cope during any emergency. Our CERT program will always have jobs or assignments for people who may not have the physical strength or capabilities for doing first aid and rescue work in the field. Logistical support and documentation are two of the most needed concerns of any large-scale emergency, and many of our “more seasoned” members have those skills from their civilian backgrounds. We are also recruiting more civic minded individuals who would not be able to qualify for the more stringent certifications and qualifications needed to be a volunteer firefighter. Many now serve with CERT programs that fit their physical, workplace, and family requirements and/or priorities. This is advantageous not only to our recruits but also to our community and our team.

People interested in more information about our program can contact us through our website at www.hamdencert.com. You can also review our activity on our Facebook or Twitter sites CERT

Electrifying An Danger

During Disastera Response

BY BRETT POSTELLI

Whether you ride out the storm in your own home or join as a volunteer responder, the safety hazards will be very similar, if not identical.

INITIAL RESPONSE SAFETY HAZARDS TO CONSIDER:

1. Downed trees, leaning trees, hazardous hanging limbs.

2. Various types and sizes of debris.

3. Unstable structures, damaged roads and bridges.

4. Downed energized highvoltage power lines and downed or leaning poles.

5. Ruptured, leaking and damaged natural gas lines.

6. Biological and hazardous waste contaminated flood waters.

7. Heavy rains, thunder and lightning strikes.

8. Dangerous, aggressive, and poisonous wildlife.

9. Civil unrest, looters, criminal element.

10. Unknown hazards we do not see.

Each of these hazards pose their own unique and significant risks. Keep in mind all of these can be encountered at the same time, which means you, the responder, have to be able to think on your feet. In my experience the most dangerous hazards are downed power lines and falling trees.

DOWNED POWERLINE THREAT

First responders and people on the ground MUST always assume that all downed power lines are energized unless told specifically from the utility company that they are NOT energized. Even then, extreme caution must be used. On a number of occasions, we have experienced a downed power line in which the utility company confirmed the line was dead, but that same line lies on the ground, other lines on the same circuit get replaced and repaired and then re-energized, causing the line we encountered to get re-energized potentially causing a fire, injury or death.

Most people do not know trees conduct electricity! The “conductivity” of a tree depends primarily on the amount of moisture in the wood. A wet tree, carrying a lot of sap, and certain atmospheric conditions, or any number of other conditions can cause the tree to become a conductor.

Conductors are materials that allow the

movement of electricity through it. The human body is also a conductor. Electric current cannot exist without an unbroken path to and from the conductor, this is known as completing an electrical circuit. People are injured when they become part of that electrical circuit. Humans are more conductive than the earth, which means if there is no other easy path, electricity will flow through our bodies.

ALWAYS REMEMBER:

1. Never touch a downed power line or go near one.

2. Do not touch anything in contact with a downed power line.

3. Do not drive over downed power lines.

4. Downed power lines can energize the ground up to 35 feet away.

5. Never try to move a downed power line. CERT

Humans are more conductive than the earth, which means if there is no other easy path, electricity will flow through our bodies.

Brett Postelli, has 29 combined years of experience in public safety and private sector emergency response operations and a published author, (Hazwoper Handbook – 8-40 Hr. Hazardous Waste Operations & Emergency Response, ISBN10: 1537136453, ISBN-13: 978-1537136455) and holds a number of national and international certifications. Brett serves as the Environmental Health and Safety Manager for AshBritt Environmental.

Hurricane Michael emergency road debris removal clearing.

Photo by: Brett Postelli

A tree downed by Hurricane Michael blocking a road which also pulled down a power pole with a transformer and high-voltage wires resting on to a street sign. Photo by: Brett Postelli

An energized line catching a tree on fire. Photo by: Brett Postelli

PROJECT

Reducing Opioid Overdose Deaths

BY LILLIE JACKSON

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?

In the U.S., opioid overdoses killed more than 47,000 people in 2017. On average, 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. In Missouri, 951 people died from opioid-related overdoses in 2017. The death and destruction from the current overdose crisis is affecting millions of individuals and their family members.

It is important to know the risk factors for and signs of an overdose, how to respond when one happens, and how to prevent one from happening again.

WHAT ROLE DOES NALOXONE HAVE IN THE BIGGER PICTURE?

Naloxone is a medication that quickly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, usually within 1-3 minutes. Naloxone can be administered by anyone and does not enable more drug use; it SAVE LIVES. In 2018, the U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory urging people who are likely to experience, witness, or respond to an overdose to carry naloxone.

Naloxone does not “cure” or treat addiction, it is simply a life-saving intervention to prevent death in someone’s

otherwise final moments. Connecting people to appropriate treatment and recovery services following an overdose is vital, as are efforts to prevent substance use disorders from developing in the first place. Regarding treatment, programs that include medical stabilization and maintenance with medications help keep individuals alive so they have the opportunity to recover.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING AND AFTER AN OVERDOSE?

Oftentimes people are afraid to call 911 for help when drugs are involved. However, 40 states, including Missouri and the District of Columbia, have 911 Good Samaritan Laws that protect the persons seeking medical help and experiencing the medical emergency from minor drug and alcohol violations.

47,000

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WHY IS OVERDOSE RESPONSE AND NALOXONE TRAINING IMPORTANT?

Overdose response training prepares individuals to be a part of the solution to the opioid crisis. Such trainings involve teaching individuals about overdose risk factors, how to recognize an overdose, how to administer life-saving naloxone and otherwise respond effectively, and how to prevent overdoses from happening again.

AMERICANS DIE EVERY DAY

951 DEATHS IN 2017

When responding to an overdose, sometimes naloxone needs to be administered multiple times. The survivor should receive medical attention to ensure they stabilize and remain safe following the overdose. Many people may want to use more opioids to relieve their discomfort, but this can put them at heightened risk for a repeat overdose. Ensuring post-overdose connection to medical treatment with buprenorphine or methadone is critical, as is providing education on safer drug use behaviors (avoid mixing substances, test drugs before using, etc.).

MISSOURI DEATHS IN 2017

WHAT IS THE MO-HOPE PROJECT?

Missouri’s MO-HOPE project aims to reduce opioid overdose deaths through expanded access to overdose education and naloxone, public awareness, and referral to treatment for those at risk of experiencing or witnessing an overdose event. This program offers innovative best practice training and tools for overdose prevention and reversal to diverse professional and community audiences.

The MO-HOPE (Missouri Opioid-Heroin Overdose Prevention and Education) project is a partnership between the Missouri Department of Mental Health, University of Missouri, St. Louis-Missouri Institute for Mental Health, and the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. The project is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).

To learn more about the MO-HOPE project, visit mohopeproject.org. CERT

CITATIONS:

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 2018, Center for Disease Control, Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, 2018

BIRTH OF A CERT INSTRUCTOR and Disaster-Preparedness Speaker

BY ERIKA ROGERS MARINO

Over 30 years ago John Rickwald attended a Disaster Preparedness Seminar in California held by the Red Cross. At the event, they explained that you need food, water, flashlights, first aid kit, and a radio. John thought, “I have all this stuff, can I go home now?” Twenty minutes after returning home from the seminar, there was an aftershock to the Whittier Narrows Earthquake and the lights went out! He reached for a flashlight and it was dead and found another which didn’t work and was leaking battery acid. His radio was also dead. Using a lighter to see, John went to the kitchen to check on the water he had stored in milk cartons – unbeknownst to him, they were bio-degradable and the cartons cracked. At that point the lights came on, literally and figuratively. Looking at his wife and twin five-year old boys, he realized it was time to take the subject of preparedness seriously. The name of the game for John was, research, research, research.

John and Sheriff Parkinson John’s get home pack

John began making “Disaster packs” for himself and for neighbors who would buy them from him at cost. In addition, John recalls, “I trained my twin boys with disaster scenario games. I would shake their beds at night saying ‘Earthquake!’ They thought it was hilarious, grabbed their flashlights and slippers, and got to the safe spot in the hall. Next I installed emergency lighting.”

About 4 years later, the Northridge Earthquake hit. John says, “I got out of bed and started walking down the hall to see my sons smiling during the Earthquake asking if this was what we were preparing for. I replied, ‘Yes, great job.’ That’s when I realized that preparedness is a positive thing.” His boys were smiling, not screaming. Neighbors gathered at John’s front door, sheepishly requesting those “Disaster Packs” he had offered a few years before.

There is no such thing as doomsday when you are prepared. Whether it’s a personal disaster or a national disaster, an understanding that you will ‘make it through’ will be the key to success.

Later that day, John recalls, “we received a call from a young lady who worked with my wife and purchased one of my Disaster Packs. She lived in Northridge in one of the apartments that collapsed near the epicenter. She explained how the Pack made a big difference and thanked us. Again, I am reminded that preparedness is a positive thing.”

Then, John and his family moved to rural San Luis Obispo County in California, and although he continued to research “Preparedness,” he kept it to himself. One day the Sheriff announced that he wanted to make this the most prepared county in the nation, so John says, “I came out of the preparedness closet, joined the local CERT class, and became an instructor.” Several speaking engagements later, John is currently booked regularly at seminars and on local radio stations to impart his knowledge.

Besides simply speaking about Disaster Preparedness, John and his employer, John Whitford Communications, have created physical tools. Together they built a Comms Trailer to provide communications

at remote special events in addition to lending the Trailer to the Red Cross for use at disaster refugee locations. They also installed equipment in the bunker at Vandenberg Air Force Base and remote satellite internet communications for USGS’s Earthquake Early Warning Systems.

A couple years later, John bought a retired LA County rescue truck from Jim Fritsche, a CERT coordinator. With the help and generous donations of the local community, they retrofitted the truck as both a promotional tool and transport vehicle for CERT Training Classes equipment.

Simultaneously, a committee known as the San Luis Obispo Regional CERT was forming to coordinate and support the different CERT Programs throughout the County. John has been a committee member from day one, and this dedicated group of people, who includes the Sheriff on the Board of Directors, is committed to making this County prepared. John says, “I am the Training Coordinator and unofficial ‘promoter’ of this Regional CERT group.”

And of course, the decades of John’s research and experience have evolved into an extensive Disaster Preparedness Home Pack with some very unique elements, including seven different radios with an elaborate alarm system. He has cleverly created it in sections, so he can customize it for various needs.

Some final thoughts from John include positive action and attitude. John concludes,

“Keeping your mind positive in the middle of a disaster is extremely beneficial. Next is the knowledge of what to do. Finally, the stuff: get home pack; bug out bag; and various other supplies. There is no such thing as doomsday when you are prepared. Whether it’s a personal disaster or a national disaster, an understanding that you will ‘make it through’ will be the key to success. Eyes open! No fear! Be Safe! GO CERT!” CERT

CERT truck at the Christmas light parade

John Rickwald is currently a Communication Technician for John Whitford Communications. To learn more about John or to book him to speak at your CERT Event, go to his Facebook page.

HOW MERIT IS HELPING CERTS

Take On More Life-saving Work And Less Paperwork

BY TAYLOR ROBINSON

Since the beginning of the CERT curriculum in 1993, those involved have continually expanded their skills and capabilities to allow them to prepare and respond to disasters nationwide. We have CERT members to thank for responding safely and effectively to emergency situations in ways that best impact their communities.

And at the core of how CERT programs accomplish this is through each of the 600,000 members’ own unique skills, capabilities, and training they bring to their communities’ disaster situations. Take a hypothetical CERT named Josh who is an EMT for a living. Josh attended California EMS Academy. He’s taken Hazardous Materials training courses. He has Spanish speaking skills. If you ask Josh how he proves this, he might show you a laminated card, a diploma, an email certificate, and a printout. It’s a mess and difficult to verify his many credentials at once.

Enter Merit, the free service that enables Josh to capture each of his accomplishments as merits and take action on them. These components of his identity are verified and in combination, unique. And by storing them digitally and making them easily verifiable, CERT members who hold these merits can instantly leverage them on-the-go, whether they’re checking into training or need to prove qualifications for deployment at disaster zones.

Dozens of CERT and other emergency organizations take advantage of merits in a wide spectrum of situations. Volunteer Florida is beginning to use Merit to track and manage its statewide VOAD and CERT responders for disaster planning. Previously knowing which volunteer attended what training or had the expertise, was a messy mix of paper-based docu-

mentation, emails, and spreadsheets. When state and local disaster response teams use Merit to track their volunteers’ training, skills, and experience, the entire emergency response network gains clear visibility into who is most capable and where resources stand when it is most critical. This matters when it comes to deploying volunteers, and to on-the-ground coordination. Knowing that someone has a language skill or a certification to do CPR is essential in an emergency. It can save the State time–and time can save lives.

It’s also potentially a massive cost-saving too. In Hurricane Irma, with a $2 billion bill, only 75% is normally paid by FEMA. States and municipalities were on the hook for 25% of the bill, which can be offset through volunteer hours. Merit is addressing this ineffective system for collecting hours served as their Check-In app captures and stores that data systematically. For the next hurricane, this could save Florida tens to even hundreds of millions of dollars, and better prove the impact that CERT and VOAD programs make in their communities.

Merit will listen to its CERT members, Orgs, and developers and adapt to their needs to evolve over time. As such, they’d love to hear from you; if you have suggestions, needs, or war stories to share, please reach out to taylor@merits.com, and if you’re ready to get started visit merits.com to sign up your Org today. CERT

SUMMER EVENTS

JUNE JULY

JUNE 10-16: National Men’s Health Week

JUNE 13-19: National Nursing Assistants Week

JUNE 14: Flag Day

JUNE 16: Father’s Day

JUNE 22: Public Service Appreciation Day

AUGUST 4: Coast Guard Day

AUGUST 19: National Aviation Day

AUGUST 20: National Radio Day