Upcoming CERT Class- Mandarin

Hillsborough CERT is excited to announce that a new Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training session will be conducted in Chinese Mandarin. This training aims to equip Chinese speaking individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively respond to emergencies and contribute to the safety and well-being of our community.

The CERT training will cover a wide range of topics including but not limited to: first aid, fire safety, emergency evacuation procedures, basic search and rescue techniques, and disaster preparedness. Participants will learn how to respond confidently and responsibly in various emergency situations.

Here are the details for the upcoming training session:

Dates: April 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30, May 4.
Time: 6:00 – 8:30 pm
Location: Burlingame Rec Center, 850 Burlingame Ave
Language: Chinese Mandarin

We encourage all community members to participate in this training to enhance their preparedness and ability to assist others during times of crisis. Whether you are a seasoned volunteer or someone interested in learning new skills, this training is open to everyone.

LISTOS Disaster & Emergency Preparedness Class (Spanish language)

Menlo Park CERT is holding an eight hour Disaster and Emergency Preparedness class and they have invited Redwood City/San Carlos residents to attend!  Here are the class details:

What:  Listos – Disaster and Emergency Preparedness
Date:   Saturday, March 30, 2024
Time:  8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Where:  300 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park (Classroom behind Fire Station 1)
Cost:    Free!!
Other:  This class is taught in Spanish

IMPORTANT:  You must register for this class prior to attending, class size is very limited.  If you register and then you are unable to attend, please send an email to Menlo Park Fire to let them know before the class date: CERT@menlofire.com

Link to register: https://www.menlofirecert.com/event-5475183/Registration   

FRS In an Emergency

Saw this information posted in a CERT Facebook group. This is being circulated by Radio Relay International, one of several citizen volunteer groups that have suggested various plans to establish a national emergency channel. I may be wrong but I am not personally aware of any planned local monitoring of FRS frequencies. 

This is where being a licensed ham radio operator comes into play. Ham radio operators are encouraged to get on the air and check in, in our case, with SCARES on their repeater. Nowadays folks are probably better off dialing 911 on their cell phone, or texting an emergency contact in a different State. It couldn’t hurt to keep some FRS radios in your disaster kit, but don’t count on it being a lifeline.

FEMA App “Digital Backpack” feature

The FEMA App now contains a “Digital Backpack” feature. Having digital backups of your important physical documents means that you’ll have the information to replace them should you need to. Steps to create a digital backpack are now on the FEMA app, available from the Apple App Store or on Google Play. Once you’ve downloaded the app, look for the Prepare icon at the bottom of the screen.

Tap the A-Z tab and then Preparedness Essentials> Planning Ahead. Scroll down to Digital Backpack.

Ham Radio Class Reminder

Jus a reminder that this Saturday there will be a “ham cram” FCC licensing class for those wanting to be amateur radio operators. We never have enough ham radio operators at CERT exercises so this is a good opportunity to add to your preparedness skillset.

Already have your license? When was the last time you used your radio? Consider joining the South County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (SCARES) group to learn all about using ham radio for emergency communications. Did you know that each of our CERT cities has a monthly radio net?

Creating a Household Emergency Plan

by Ed Messinger, Redwood Shores CERT Lead

With the start of a new year, now is a good time to create a Household Emergency Plan, or if you have one, review it and practice it with your family members.

In the event an emergency or local disaster, do you have a Household Emergency Plan in place so members of your family know what to do and where to meet, if needed? After a disaster, basic services may be impacted and unavailable. Communications may be limited, power may be out, roads may be inaccessible, and we will likely experience delays from emergency responders.

Having a Household Emergency Plan (and a Home Disaster Supply Kit) will aid your family members in responding to an emergency or local disaster.

Make a Plan:

• Identify two exit routes from every room in your home. In a disaster, the primary route may be blocked.
• Choose two different meeting locations after a disaster. One should be near your home, in the event of a local emergency, such as a fire. The other should be outside your neighborhood, in case your entire area is affected by a larger disaster.
• Choose an out-of-area contact. Local phone access tends to be overloaded during an emergency, so having an out-of-area contact helps to more easily reconnect your family members via the out-of-area contact. Choose someone who lives far enough away that he or she would be unaffected by the same emergency. Everyone in your household should keep a copy of the contact information with them.
• After a disaster, use texting or email, as phone lines get overwhelmed. Texting is more likely to get through due to the nature of its transmission.

Talk about your Plan:

• Talk with your family members about the specifics of your Plan, and how each member should respond.
• Understand each person’s needs and abilities, and identify any family member’s risks and/or vulnerabilities (pets included.)
• Review each person’s role and the plan to work together as a team.

Practice:

• Practice your home escape plan using all exit routes.
• Practice earthquake and fire drills. (Twice/year is recommended.)
• Go to your designated meeting places so everyone knows exactly where they are located.
• Text your out-of-area contact to confirm it works.
• Have a picnic with your emergency supplies, to make it fun for kids to be involved. (This is a great way to rotate your supplies to keep them fresh!)

Having a Household Emergency Plan will give you peace of mind and aid your family in dealing with an emergency or local disaster more effectively. Having a plan will also help minimize initial panic, knowing that your family members have a plan of action to follow.

So don’t delay, create your plan today!

‘CERT’: Who We Are and What We Do

By Ed Messinger, Redwood Shores CERT Lead

The Community Emergency​ Response Team (CERT) program has been in existence for nearly forty years. In 1985 a group of Los​ Angeles fire officials traveled to Japa​n to learn how Japan responded to disastrous earthquakes. While there, the LA fire officials observed first hand how community residents played a significant role in post-disaster support and response, when the deadly Kyoto Earthquake struck during their visit. Later that year LAFD officials visited Mexico in the wake of the 8.1 Mexico City Earthquake, observing that local citizens acted as first responders helping injured and trapped victims.

A year later the LA Fire Department created a CERT pilot program to teach a group of community members about first aid, fire suppression, search, and evacuation techniques. During the October 1, 1987​ Whittier Narrows Earthquake, city officials saw first hand how valuable the CERT program could be and stepped up to support it. In 1993 CERT became part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), offered to communities nationwide.

In Redwood Shores we have a Team of 36 active FEMA Certified​ CERT members! We are all CERT Academy graduates (part of Redwood City/ San Carlos CERT) where we were trained in: CERT Organization, Disaster Preparedness, Medical Treatment, Light Search & Rescue, Fire & Utility Safery, and Disaster Psychology. We also continue to re-train each year to keep our skills fresh and ready to use. In the event there is a major disaster, we would be ‘activated’ to report to an Incident Command Post here in Redwood Shores, and from there we would send CERT Teams out into our neighborhoods to provide first responder help until​ professional help (Paramedic, Fire, Police) arrives. Even then, we would likely support the professional responders in some capacity, under their direction.

If you are interested in joining our Redwood Shores CERT Team, the next CERT Academy will be offered sometime this coming Spring. Watch for that announcement in the Pilot newsletter around the March/April time frame!

Redwood Trading Post Preparedness Event

Santa at the Firehouse Event

Just a reminder that help is needed at the annual Santa at the Firehouse event on 12/14 at SMCFD Station 14.  The Park & Rec Dept. has specifically asked for CERT assistance at this very popular holiday event for the Belmont community.  Sign-ups for the event and for event prep (snow assistance) are on Neon.

Off Grid Sanitation & Hygiene

Saturday, November 11, 9-10:30 AM
Location: Trinity Hall. Trinity Church, 330 Ravenswood Avenue, Menlo Park

Free. Open to all. Refreshments. Raffle. Handouts. Displays and more!

What would you do if the water and sewer infrastructure lifelines were disrupted following a major quake? Seismologists think we are overdue for the “big one.” The second emergency after an initial disaster is a disease outbreak as improper hygiene and sanitation lead to deadly diseases like typhoid, dysentery and cholera.

Having a storage of hygiene and sanitation supplies, and knowing how to safely use them at home and away, is vital for you and your family to be ready following a major disaster! Join us to learn how to prepare, even in small spaces and on a tight budget! Register here