Grand Haven CERT Meeting -- April 10, 2019

Meeting called to order by Chip Howden at 2:00 PM.

Stephen Davidson requested a moment of silence in remembrance of Frank A. Benham III of Palm Coast, who passed away on March 12, 2019.

Frank was born on August 10, 1943, in Melrose, MA. Frank was a charter member and co-leader of the Grand Haven Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and served as chair on the Flagler County CERT Advisory Council. His wife, Pauline, survives him.

ITEMS DISCUSSED DURING THE MEETING:

Summary of March 30, 2019, training exercise, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

“The countywide CERT simulation exercise began with a scenario that could occur in a real community. Participants were informed that earlier in the day, the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch for all of Flagler County and surrounding areas. The storm quickly escalated into a category EF-1 tornado. A 911 operator informed CERT that the emergency responders might not enter the affected area at this time. Nevertheless, to stand by and “do what they can” to prepare for their arrival. The Grand Haven team immediately created a plan with the use of an aerial community map and took an inventory of the skills and training of the members present. The ISO divided roles and responsibilities among the members. The team planned the tactics, preliminary team movement, and documented the plan on the areal map. A chain of command established Greg Wilson as the ISO. In turn, the ISO appointed a scribe and alternate scribe. The group then proceeded to the major damage site.” ( Link to the March 30, 2019, Flagler County, FL Advanced CERT Training Exercises )

Chip Howden requested members who attended to identify the strengths of the GHCT during the simulation. Those strengths are as follows:

• Grand Haven CERT (GHCT) members represented the largest single group for the exercise.
• Greg Wilson acted as GHCT, Incident Commander (IC). Chip Howden recognized Greg for his leadership role.)
• Formal classroom training and in-house practice, using the materials on the GHCT website, contributed to performance.
• The SIZEU P phase gathered facts and established priorities resulting in an executable action plan.
• GHCT’s capacity to achieve goals and objectives led to improved outcomes in later day exercises.

What should GHCT focus on for future training?

• Promote flexibility in team member roles and responsibility
• Improve skills necessary to make quick assessment of victim medical conditions, such as triage and transport
• Ability to engage the “injured, but able ” in assisting other victims to Triage Locations
• Faster evaluation of a building’s stability and which fires to extinguish first.
• Using of onsite materials for cribbing.
• Prior to future exercises, the IC should assess whether the assigned Flagler Alert Trainer has knowledge of all pertinent exercise details.

Future Training Plans

• Finding and using materials for levers and cribbing with Flagler County Fire and Rescue at the fire tower. Tentatively at the June meeting.
• Instructor-led, first aid training in the Grand Haven Room.
• Disaster Documentation Training – Focus on documenting information on the correct Grand Haven CERT form and preparation necessary to review the facts with the first responders at the site.

CERT Recruiting – Grand Haven Memorial Day Event

John Polizzi will head up a committee to set up an informational center at the event. The planning requires contact with Robert Pickering to reserve the CERT tent, assembling educational material/forms and a schedule for members who will staff the event’s location.

Review of Grand Haven CERT Pack – Greg Wilson

• It is the responsibility of each member to obtain the listed items. Chip Howden requests that each member inventory their bag and forward a list of needed items. Chip to research suppliers. After a review, the organization may be able to provide some of the items.
• Basic First Responder Pack / Bag content list
• Grand Haven CERT Kit -Recommended Additions
• First aid Kits – Check for expired items in your kit. First aid Kits are available at Loews, Walgreens, and REI.
• Print and resupply of GH CERT Damage Assessment forms, CERT Field Operating Guides, Triage Cards and Tape Wristbands.
• Print and laminate more Community Search Zone Maps.
• Grand Haven Command Center Trauma Kit - evaluation indicates that many medications are expired and there is a need for additional medical supplies.
• Operating Protocols and user guides are posted on the Field Operations page under Reference Information.

CERT Radio Practice - Stephen Davidson

• Protocol initiating and responding to a radio call:
    Rule: To initiate a call speak the number of the person you are calling and then speak your Grand Haven number.
    Example: Sender: “Grand Haven 01 this is Grand Haven 39 calling”
    Person called: “This is Grand Haven 01 go ahead Grand Haven 39”
• Repeat all information transmitted to confirm accuracy.
• The command center will initiate contact with all teams assigned to field locations on a schedule, using Channel 16.
• The members joined four groups at designated locations near the command center and were ordered to standby.
• The command center initiated calls to each group to test reception. Grand Haven numbers identified each group. Team 1 GH 36, Team 2 GH 86 , Team 3 GH 3, Team 4 GH 10
• Radio Operations and user guides are posted on the Field Operations page.

Search and Rescue Protocol

• Two team members must remain with any victim too injured to transport.

Meeting adjourned 4:10 PM