Community Emergency Response Teams Research Articles

Developing, engaging, and sustaining CERT programs in low-risk communities.

I am a recently trained (2021) volunteer in my county’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), which is managed by the County Fire and Rescue Department. As you know, CERT programs train volunteers in basic disaster response skills such as team organization, disaster medical operations, fire safety, and light search-and-rescue, so that they can assist their families, neighbors, coworkers, and other community members during emergencies when professional responders may be unavailable to provide immediate assistance.

Developing Faith Community Emergency Response Teams Through Simulation.

Developing Faith Community Emergency Response Teams Through Simulation.

Developing Faith Community Emergency Response Teams Through Simulation.

The development of a volunteer emergency response team is an effective method to mitigate the negative impacts and improve outcomes of health emergencies in faith communities and is supported by faith community nursing scope and standards of professional practice. Conducting simulated emergency drills with a core team of volunteers within one parish supported the confidence and comfort levels of the multidisciplinary group of volunteers, led by a nurse. Simulation and debriefing increased team members' preparedness for physical and mental health emergencies.

Towards fine-grained object-level damage assessment during disasters

Social media can play an important role in current-day disaster management. Images shared from the disaster areas may include objects relevant to operations. If these objects are identified correctly, they can offer a preliminary damage assessment report and situational awareness for response and recovery. This research is carried out in collaboration with a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to understand the state-of-the-art object detection model’s capability to detect objects in multi-hazard disaster scenes posted on social media. Specifically, 946 images were collected from social media during major earthquake and hurricane disasters. All the images were inspected by trained volunteers from CERT and, 4,843 objects were analyzed for applicability to specific functions in disaster operations. The feedback provided by the volunteers helped determine the existing model’s key strengths and weaknesses and led to the development of a disaster object taxonomy relevant to specific disaster support functions. Lastly, using a subset of classes from the taxonomy, an instance segmentation dataset is developed to fine-tune state-of-the-art models for damage object detection. Empirical analysis demonstrates promising applications of transfer learning for disaster object detection.

Making waves: Uses of real-time, hyperlocal flood sensor data for emergency management, resiliency planning, and flood impact mitigation

Flooding is expected to increase due to intensification of extreme precipitation events, sea-level rise, and urbanization. Low-cost water level sensors have the ability to fill a critical data gap on the presence, depth, and duration of street-level floods by measuring flood profiles (i.e., flood stage hydrographs) in real-time with a time interval on the order of minutes. Hyperlocal flood data collected by low-cost sensors have many use cases for a variety of stakeholders including municipal agencies, community members, and researchers. Here we outline examples of potential uses of flood sensor data before, during, and after flood events, based on dialog with stakeholders in New York City. These uses include inputs to predictive flood models, generation of real-time flood alerts for community members and emergency response teams, storm recovery assistance and cataloging of storm impacts, and informing infrastructure design and investment for long-term flood resilience project planning.

CAS Theory Perspective of Community Emergency Management Factors and Coping Strategies

With the rapid development of community culture and economy, people pay more attention to the frequent occurrence of community accidents. In order to protect the life and property safety of community residents and establish a safe and harmonious community, how to carry out rapid and effective emergency management of community accidents has become the focus of every community manager must think. Based on the theory of complex adaptive system, this paper discusses how to form the characteristic emergency management system for community by taking the gas explosion of Shenyang hotel as an example. The results show that in the community emergency management, in addition to the four management elements of human, material, environment and system, a dual emergency mode should be established with the community emergency response team as the leader and the fire medical support force to improve the emergency handling and response capacity of community accidents, and effectively reduce the loss of life and property of residents.

Learning to trust: Relational spaces and transformative learning for disaster risk reduction across citizen led and professional contexts

Efforts to address disaster risk reduction have predominantly focused on top-down methods of risk communication, rooted in assumptions of knowledge deficit. Alternatively, deeper learning that allows for capacities to be enhanced via Transformative Learning (TL) practices that enable individuals to move from intentions to behaviours may be required. This requires critical reflection that allows acceptance of ideas that can be tested and found to have efficacy.Fieldwork interviews took place in April–May 2015 and April–May 2017, with Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) trainees and Listos (Spanish language family disaster preparedness) learners, in Santa Barbra, California. A total of 48 semi structured interviews were carried out (22 with CERT and 16 with Listos) alongside six interviews with trainers of these programmes. A TL framework model [1–3] was utilised as an analytical tool, identifying how TL occurred via analysis of narratives using narrative inquiry methodology.Key findings showed how CERT and Listos programmes enhanced personal relationships and connections to others, creating or enhancing existing social capital. Socially constructed learning underpinned trust and maintenance of learned behaviours. The training programmes led to mastery of competency accomplishments for disaster preparedness, strengthening self and group efficacy beliefs.Key to the success were knowledge brokers working via informal channels, enhancing ‘community connectedness’ by building social networks for disaster preparedness. Overall, CERT and Listos were shown to be practice oriented, culturally and socially adapted programmes that fostered transformative learning, trust and social networks as key resources for community resilience to disaster risk.

The Impact of Teen Community Emergency Response Team Training

A study of 481 high school students who completed Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training using the Federal Emergency Management Agency CERT curriculum was conducted over a five-year period, with the objective of identifying the impacts of that training. Through both quantitative and qualitative data collection, the researcher found that a highly engaging emergency response curriculum has multiple positive impacts on teens completing the course. Those impacts include explicit knowledge and skills of emergency preparedness and response, college and career goal orientation enhancement, as well as enhancement to self-efficacy, self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-concept. Replicating such curricula and comprehensive training program at other secondary schools could have a very positive impact on the emergency preparedness and response capacity of communities where it is implemented.

A Multihazard Assessment of Age-Related Weather Vulnerabilities

AbstractWeather fatalities for all age groups were examined for the period 1996–2018 using NOAA Storm Data. Vulnerabilities due to limited mobility that inhibited evacuation from a hazardous environment were observed for the very young and the very old. Those situations included heat- and cold-related hazards, tropical cyclones, and wildfires. Vulnerabilities associated with unrestricted mobility occurred in teenage through middle-aged groups, who were more exposed to fatal outcomes in the surfzone, mountain, winter-driving, and lightning environments. There is evidence that vulnerable members of society who received help from family, neighbors, and their community were more likely to avoid potentially fatal weather events, whereas those who were socially isolated were more likely to succumb. National Weather Service programs, such as Weather-Ready Nation, and other initiatives like the Community Emergency Response Team could potentially aid in reducing weather fatalities by encouraging communities to take a more proactive approach in ensuring physically vulnerable populations like the elderly receive assistance during hazardous weather events. Furthermore, weather-messaging strategies should be flexible enough to target populations who are vulnerable to specific hazards.

Disaster Preparedness Knowledge, Beliefs, Risk-Perceptions, and Mitigating Factors of Disaster Preparedness Behaviors of Undergraduate Students at a Large Midwest University

Objective: Differences were assessed in disaster preparedness levels of college students at a large Midwest university based on knowledge, risk perception, beliefs, prior enrollment in a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) or first aid class, and self-efficacy was assessed. Methods: College students between the ages of 18 and 24 years old were recruited from a general education class and from students who walked by a high-traffic area in the student union to complete a 27-item survey. A disaster preparedness score was calculated based on items each participant indicated he or she currently possessed at home. Participant responses were also dichotomized into knowledge (advanced vs. basic) risk perception (high vs. low), belief (strong vs. weak), CERT or first aid enrollment (yes vs. no), and self-efficacy (high vs. low) groups based on how the participant answered specific items on the survey. An independent samplest test was used to analyze the differences in disaster preparedness levels between each dichotomized group. Results: There was no significant difference (p=0.789) found between the strong beliefs (M=7.97, SD=3.478) and the weak beliefs group (M=7.88, SD=3.099), t(384) = -4.978. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, health education programs that focus on improving knowledge, self-efficacy in preparing for a disaster, and risk perception of experiencing a disaster will increase the disaster preparedness levels of college students. Universities partnering with community emergency management agencies and offering CERT or first aid classes to college students can increase the disaster preparedness levels of college students and potentially improve response and recovery after a disaster.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training of High-Risk Teens in the Community of Watts, South Los Angeles, 2013-2014.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept was initially developed for adult members of the community to help prepare for disasters and minimize damage when disasters occur. CERTs also served as a tool for building community capacity and self-sufficiency by supporting a diverse group of people working together in dealing with challenges affecting their communities. The novel approach to CERTs described here sought to involve high-risk youth from low-socioeconomic status communities in CERTs and first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training to help them build ties with communities, stay off the streets, and become leaders in the community. It also helped to provide different perspectives on life, while building more resilient communities better prepared to minimize damage when a disaster strikes. After the successful launch of the first high-risk teen CERT cohort in Watts (27 CERT-trained and 14 first aid/CPR-trained), the project was expanded to other community groups and organizations. Seven additional cohorts underwent CERT and first aid/CPR training in 2013 through 2014. This initiative increased CERT visibility within South Los Angeles. New partnerships were developed between governmental, nongovernmental, and community-based organizations and groups. This model can be used to expand CERT programs to other communities and organizations by involving high-risk teens or other high-risk groups in CERT training. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:605-609).

Predisaster integration of community emergency response teams.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program has been increasingly used within local emergency management systems since the United States' Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) adopted and began promoting the program in 1993. The objective of this study was to explore the integration of CERT programs within local emergency management systems predisaster. Qualitative, semistructured telephone interviews were used to collect data from a purposive sample of CERT program coordinators. Telephone interviews were conducted with CERT program coordinators in FEMA Region VII (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska). Twenty-five local county emergency managers participated in this study. This study found that the integration of CERTs varied significantly. The extent to which most teams were integrated allowed them to be placed along an integration continuum and classified as one of three types including Least Integrated, Somewhat Integrated, and Highly Integrated. Other team characteristics seemed to covary with the team integration. A phenomenon of team Piggy Backing-where the integration of the team was no longer relevant-was also found. This study concludes by making a key recommendation that could benefit any CERT-add a module to the CERT training curriculum designed to integrate the individuals associated with the CERT program within their local emergency management system.

Leveraging Social Capital for Resilience through Community Teams

Residents of the Caribbean islands are vulnerable to many natural hazards, which are becoming more frequent and are engendering more devastating effects. Since prevention ofthese events is nearly impossible, it is important to examine which factors can reduce the loss of life, enable successful recovery and generate resilience - including the impact of social capital such as social networks and interactions. Sarah T Lionel assesses the effect of Community Emergency Response Team(s), currently being established across several Caribbean island communities, and the impact of social capital in this under-studied region.

Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response: There's An App for That.

Smartphone applications (or apps) are becoming increasingly popular with emergency responders and health care providers, as well as the public as a whole. There are thousands of medical apps available for Smartphones and tablet computers, with more added each day. These include apps to view textbooks, guidelines, medication databases, medical calculators, and radiology images. Hypothesis/Problem With an ever expanding catalog of apps that relate to disaster medicine, it is hard for both the lay public and responders to know where to turn for effective Smartphone apps. A systematic review of these apps was conducted. A search of the Apple iTunes store (Version 12; Apple Inc.; Cupertino, California USA) was performed using the following terms obtained from the PubMed Medical Subject Headings Database: Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Responders, Disaster, Disaster Planning, Disaster Medicine, Bioterrorism, Chemical Terrorism, Hazardous Materials (HazMat), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). After excluding any unrelated apps, a working list of apps was formed and categorized based on topics. Apps were grouped based on applicability to responders, the lay public, or regional preparedness, and were then ranked based on iTunes user reviews, value, relevance to audience, and user interface. This search revealed 683 applications and was narrowed to 219 based on relevance to the field. After grouping the apps as described above, and subsequently ranking them, the highest quality apps were determined from each group. The Community Emergency Response Teams and FEMA had the best apps for National Disaster Medical System responders. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had high-quality apps for emergency responders in a variety of fields. The National Library of Medicine's Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) app was an excellent app for HazMat responders. The American Red Cross had the most useful apps for natural disasters. Numerous valuable apps for public use, including alert apps, educational apps, and a well-made regional app, were also identified. Smartphone applications are fast becoming essential to emergency responders and the lay public. Many high-quality apps existing in various price ranges and serving different populations were identified. This field is changing rapidly and it deserves continued analysis as more apps are developed.

TEAM CRISIS: SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND NURSES WORKING TOGETHER

Schools are often the geographic and sociological center of a community. Given modern community emergencies and challenges, schools should make the most of this role and best allocate their resources to maximize the positive impact they have during difficult times. This article uses the vantage point of school psychologists and school nurses from across the country, discussing real life examples of community crises to focus on lessons learned and the “best practices” that can be replicated. This article provides information concerning the skills incorporated to protect and support children in schools and to prevent and respond to school crises. It focuses on the strength of teaming, coordination, and collaboration of school and community in team crisis prevention, response and intervention, with a focus on the professions of school psychology and nursing. This information is important to ensure that all schools have appropriately utilized school nurses and school psychologists in their community's emergency response teams.

Explaining the pre-disaster integration of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs)

This study explored the pre-disaster integration of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) within local emergency management systems through semi-structured telephone interviews with 21 CERT program coordinators. It was found that the integration of CERTs varied significantly from not integrated at all to highly integrated. This paper reports the findings related to why this variation occurred. Specifically, it was found that integration seemed to covary with the resources available to the team, the opportunity within the local emergency management system for the CERT to play a role, the team’s leadership, the formality of the team’s structure, and the acceptance of CERT within the local emergency management system.

O154 Minimisation of the Effects from Ablation Catheter Sliding Movements during Radiofrequency (RF) Ablations by Electrogram Gated RF Delivery

R A L A B ST R A C T S those first defibrillated by emergency medical services (EMS), which includes AV paramedics, firefighters and community emergency response teams. Methods: OHCA adult cases (>15 years) which occurred in a public location and were attended by AV during the period 1 July 2002 to 30 June 2013 were extracted from the Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR). These cases were either in a shockable rhythm (VF/VT) on EMS arrival and received defibrillation by EMS or were defibrillated by bystanders with an AED prior to EMS arrival (at an AV PAD site or other site). No arrests were witnessed by EMS and all cases had attempted resuscitation by EMS. Results: During the study period, there were 2116 adults first defibrillated by EMS and 127 adults first defibrillated by a bystander with an AED. Median time to defibrillation was significantly shorter for individuals first defibrillated by bystanders at sites with AEDs (5.5 mins, IQR 4.0-9.0 mins) compared to patients first defibrillated by EMS (10.0 mins, IQR 8.0-13.0 mins), p<0.001. Significantly more individuals who were first defibrillated by a bystander at sites with AEDs survived to hospital (63%) compared to those first defibrillated by EMS (51%), p1⁄40.006. Significantly more individuals who were first defibrillated by a bystander at sites with AEDs survived to hospital discharge (41%) compared to those first defibrillated by EMS (31%), p1⁄40.020. After adjusting for other factors known to influence survival, defibrillation by a bystander with an AED increased the chance of survival to hospital discharge by 51% compared to individuals first defibrillated by EMS (odds ratio 1.51, 95% CI: 1.01-2.25, p1⁄40.045). Conclusion: Survival to hospital discharge favoured individuals first defibrillated by bystanders with a public AED. These findings support continued resource allocation towards PAD programs. Disclosure of Interest: None Declared

4-H Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program is designed to train Americans to safely help themselves and their community in the event of a widespread disaster. This program is designed for adults. Despite youth increasingly becoming recognized as valuable resources, able to equally partner with adults in leadership and decision-making roles (Zeldin, Petrokubi, &amp; MacNeil, 2007), they remain a largely untapped resource in disaster preparedness where they could play an important role before, during, and after a disaster. 4-H Teen CERT is a program that empowers youth to prepare for, stay safe during, and respond after a major disaster.

Useful and easy-to-use interactive voice for emergency data exchange

Purpose – Telephone calls are the predominant telecommunication mode in Sri Lanka. Consequently, leveraging voice-based applications for disaster communication would be acceptable and sustainable. The purpose of this paper is to realise the design requirements for an integrated voice-enabled alerting and reporting system, and then to use the lessons learned to influence disaster management researchers, practitioners and developers to invest resources in related new system developments. Design/methodology/approach – The findings in this paper are from an experiment concerning interactive voice for connecting community-based emergency field operatives with their central co-ordination hub. Findings – A particular challenge was in interchanging Sinhala and Tamil language speech data, generated by the Freedom Fone Interactive Voice Response, with the text-based “Sahana” disaster-management system for analysis and decision support. The Emergency Data Exchange Language interoperable content standard was adopted for mediation between the two disparate systems. Standard mobile phones were the interface linking the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) members. Low quality voice transmissions over the GSM cellular infrastructure resulted in distorted data. This shortcoming was a barrier to automating transformations between text and speech. Originality/value – Replacing those processes with human procedure significantly degrades their reliability. Nevertheless, the CERT members find voice-enabled information exchange useful and easy to use, because it diminishes the need for computer literacy and removes language barriers. The paper discusses the utility evaluation of the introduced system.

Creating a Campus Based Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)

This article provides the reader with information regarding forming a community emergency response team (CERT) at a community college. College public safety departments are efficient entities in ordinary times. However, recent events at community colleges across the country have shown that there have been situations where their capabilities have been stretched. Additionally, in the early stages of a widespread disaster it is extremely probable that not only a college, but also the larger community in which it resides, will be on its own and will need to call upon the assistance of its citizens. Communities need to be trained in order to provide an effective supplementary response team to reduce the number of casualties. Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) and Student Emergency Response Teams (SERT) have been forming across the country to prepare college communities to assist themselves in the event of a widespread emergency that depletes the resources of local first responders.