CERT BICEPP Competition 2004

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Links of Interest

Business and Industry Council for Emergency Planning and Preparedness (BICEPP)

http://www.bicepp.org

City of Los Angeles Emergency Preparedness Department

http://www.lacity.org/epd/

Federal Emergency Management Agency / Community Emergency Response Teams

http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/CERT/

Simi Valley CERT

http://www.ci.simi-valley.ca.us/html/c.e.r.t..htm

Ventura County Fire Department

http://fire.countyofventura.org




Captain Ho, CERT/DSW competition team and Engine 41.	Ventura County Engine 41 Engine 41 came screaming lights and sirens through the doors of the convention center, making quite an impressive entrance.

"BIG JOHN" An old Orange County Fire Engine that teaches safety to children.	Group photos

Group photo There were teams from as far away as Snohomish, Washington and some locals including Burbank, Los Angeles and San Juan Capistrano.	Simi Valley CERT/DSW Cheering Squad

Engine 41 Captain Ho and the firefighters of Engine 41 came to support their students. Each time Simi Valley won an event the lights and sirens came on.	Written test Each event starts with a written test.
Command & Communications
Emergency on-scene management in a disaster situation is needed to maintain the safety of disaster workers, provide clear leadership and organizational structure and improve the effectiveness of rescue efforts. CERT incident Commanders must continually prioritize response activities based on the teams capability and training and the principle that rescuer safety is the number-one concern. CERT functional leadership assigns activities and accounts for team members. CERT team members work in the buddy system and respond based on their sizeup of the situations that they encounter. Clear leadership and organizational structure is by developing a chain of command with roles that are known by all team members, each CERT member has only one person that he or she takes direction from and responds to. Disaster information is collected and responses are prioritized based on rescuer safety and doing the greatest good for the greatest number according to the teams capabilities and training. The Incident Command System (ICS) is the system used by fire and law enforcement agencies to manager emergency operations. When CERT is activated for their neighborhood or workplace they become part of that system.

Command & Communications The command & communications station has two team members that record all information gathered at each of the dynamic stations. As the teams switch stations the command area has appropriate forms to track information delivered to them from their teams via radio.	Command & Communications

Command & Communications
Fire Safety & Suppression
During and immediately following a severe emergency, the first priorities of professional fire services are life safety and extinguishing major fires. They may be hampered by impassable roads, inadequate water supply, weather conditions, burning material and inadequate resources. CERT plays a very important role in fire safety by extinguishing small fires before they become major fires, preventing additional fires by removing fuel sources, shutting off utilities when necessary and safe to do so, and assisting with evacuations where necessary. When a fire is beyond the ability of CERT to extinguish, CERT members protect life safely by evacuating the area, when necessary, and establishing a perimeter.

Simulated fire	Fire suppression equipment

Fire Safety & Suppression Informing command that they have a fire and communicating clear instructions to the team members.	Fire Safety & Suppression Moving in to kill the fire.

Fire Safety & Suppression	Fire Safety & Suppression

Fire Safety & Suppression Fire is out and they back away from the danger.	Fire Safety & Suppression

Fire Safety & Suppression	Fire Safety & Suppression

Fire Safety & Suppression