Santa Barbara teenagers are learning how to respond when disaster strikes through the Teen Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, a four-day program designed to prepare young people for emergencies such as earthquakes, wildfires, and other disasters.
Disaster Preparedness
Throughout the week, participants receive hands-on instruction in disaster preparedness, basic first aid, fire safety, and light search and rescue. They also learn how to assess emergency situations, work together as a team, and make critical decisions under pressure.
CERT participant Maria José Aguilar said, ‘I definitely feel ready to knock on my neighbor’s door. Even if I smell a little bit of gas, I feel like I know how to assess that.’
As part of the training, students practice using fire extinguishers and learn the P.A.S.S. method: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep.
Community Preparedness
Emergency officials say the training helps prepare community members to be self-sufficient during the critical hours following a disaster, when first responders may be overwhelmed.
‘The fire department only has so many resources,’ said Michael Brindle, UCSB’s emergency and continuity manager. ‘When they’re all out responding to other situations, it’s really important that people are prepared to be able to respond to help themselves and their immediate family.’
The course concludes with a full-scale earthquake simulation, where students put their new skills to the test in a realistic disaster scenario.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
