Multi-Agency CERT Disaster Drill... CliffsNotes Style

Greetings and salutations! Thanks to Reserve Lt. Alex Lopez, we have a wonderful 6:46 version of a very exciting day for CERT students and active CR members alike. This successful disaster drill and CERT graduation was made possible by the mutual efforts of DeKalb's Fire Rescue, Police Department, SWAT Team, Bomb Squad, Roads and Drainage Department, and Medical Examiner's Office, as well as Decatur Fire.

In a simulated small town tornado CERT students came upon over 75 wounded patients meticulously staged all over the Fire Academy. As the scene unfolded they were to set up an Incident Command center, do a full scene size up, and deploy their teams to suppress small fires, perform search and rescue operations, and triage and treat all patients. When public safety responded roughly 45 minutes later, they were able to integrate and utilize the tremendous resource CERT offers in continuing the rescue efforts.

A hostage situation was soon reported and bombs were detonated. It was an exciting day for all involved, not just the students completing the final step of their nine-week class.

DeKalb is very proud of its residents who are stepping up to answer the call.

Click here to view the VIDEO

CERT Member in Action - Seegar's Story

The Citizen Reserve congratulates Seegar on his self deployment. What a great accomplishment! Read on for his story...

"I engaged in my first CERT deployment on Saturday, March 28. The Decatur Air & Light truck went past my house mid-morning, meaning that something was happening in my neighborhood. I keep my CERT kit in my car, so I put on my city CAPS (Citizens Assisting Public Safety) jacket and drove a few blocks until I found the fire crews responding to a large tree down, which was blocking a residential street and pulled power lines down both at the primary site and snapped power lines (in three places) 1.5 blocks away, which were also in the street.

I assisted Decatur Fire with marking the downed lines in the alternate location, and helped clear the scene for GA Power crews to accomplish their work. Since my CAPS training includes traffic control and direction, I directed traffic around the primary site after Decatur Fire turned the scene over to the GA Power and City tree crews, and stayed on site until my services were no longer constructive.

My CERT-vested presence was apparent to the Captain who responded to take charge of the scene. The City of Decatur Emergency Management Director personally took responsibility for the scene when first responding fire crews were dismissed, and made a point of thanking me for my efforts. Thus, various Decatur fire and emergency management folks saw an isolated but constructive CERT response in action, perhaps for the first time. I made a point of finding supplemental things to help with the situation without interjecting myself into the efforts of the professionals, but would note that wearing the vest seemed to make me part of the team that responded, both with respect to the Decatur Fire and GA Power folks responding, and the numerous neighbors who came out to watch as we secured the scene and responded to the situation."

-- Seegar Swanson
Decatur Resident
DeKalb CERT - May 2008 Class