Salem’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is gearing up for the next disaster with a new training class scheduled for this fall. The class will be held every Thursday evening over a six-week period, with a bonus exercise on the Saturday following the last class.
Preparing for the Worst
CERT members recently participated in a deployment exercise coordinated by Portland NET and the West Salem Team. Over 300 CERT members signed up statewide, including teams from Happy Valley, Tigard, Yamhill County, Woodburn, Cannon Beach, Nehalem Bay, and South Lincoln County. The exercise simulated a response to a major earthquake, with 37 different scenarios, including performing simulated triage and first aid for more than 35 “survivors”.
In the emergency management world, “sheltering in place” means turning your home into a self-sustaining sanctuary when the world outside becomes chaotic. However, a house is only a shelter if it remains dry, safe, and manageable. In a Cascadia-level event, your home might survive the shaking, but it will face immediate challenges: broken windows, compromised utility lines, and a total loss of climate control.
Shelter Plan
A solid shelter plan is about active maintenance. It involves identifying the “safest room” in your home, usually an interior space with the fewest windows, and having the supplies on hand to “seal” it if air quality becomes an issue or if you need to create a micro-climate to stay warm in the winter. It’s about more than just the four walls; it’s about the systems you put in place to manage waste, maintain body temperature, and protect yourself from the physical hazards that a damaged building can present.
By gathering your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), organizing your food, and building your emergency sanitation facilities now, you are removing the “friction” of a disaster. You aren’t just “staying home,” you’re managing a recovery.
Week 21: The DIY Porta-Potty – For under $10, you can build an “on-the-go” toilet. The Kit: A 5-gallon bucket, a heavy-duty trash liner, and a pool noodle (cut to fit the rim) for a seat.
Week 22: Quick Energy Snacks – Recovery is hard work, and you’ll need calories that don’t require cooking. Stock up on granola, raisins, peanut butter, and almonds.
Week 23: PPE – Safety starts with what you wear. Gather these items into one central location: safety glasses, heavy-duty work gloves, sturdy shoes, a hard hat, and a bright safety vest.
Week 24: Sunscreen – Sunscreen is essential medical protection, even when it’s cloudy.
Original reporting: Salem Reporter — read the source article.
