January 3, 2004

Volunteers at the ready for any disaster

By Tim Bousquet
Tidings Correspondent

Ashland is more prepared than almost any other community in the state to deal with earthquakes, fires, floods or any other imaginable emergency, say city officials, thanks largely to a successful city-run program that trains and organizes citizen volunteers.

"In a major disaster, especially in a town our size, we'd need a lot of volunteer help," says Greg Case, a Division Chief with the Ashland Fire Department.

Case recalls the disastrous New Years flood of 1997, which left downtown under water and cut off water service to the entire city for two weeks. "We had hundreds of people volunteer to help, but none of them were trained," he says. "We couldn't use them."

Partly as a result of that experience, the city began to take part in the federal Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. Seven years later, some 175 citizens have gone through basic emergency training and are ready to lend a hand in the event of another disaster.

"When the first responders, the police and firefighters are overwhelmed, the CERTs come in," explains Michelle Argent the CERT Program Coordinator.

Eight-week training

Volunteers go through an eight-week training program, learning from firefighters when and how to turn off utilities, basic medical training, search and rescue procedures and other emergency responses.

After successfully completing the CERT training, volunteers are given vests, helmets and ID badges, and are encouraged to put together a "CERT bag" of emergency supplies, including a two-way radio. They are assigned to a neighborhood team which, in the event of an emergency, is to report to a designated meeting place.

"It feels like a good program," says Sally Shoup, a retired nurse who just completed the CERT training. "I live in Mountain Meadows, and I've long thought that if something happened up here we'd need some help."

Shoup particularly worries about fires. "We already have fire trucks here at least a couple of times a week, so it's good to know how to turn off the electricity and gas off."

But her CERT training prepares her for any large emergency. "We're ready for a huge earthquake, or, heaven forbid, anything really terrible. If it happened, I'd gather up the guy across the street-he's also a CERT graduate-and we'd make the rounds, see if there was any damage, if anyone needed medical assistance. Then we'd go down to the Grove, which is our pre-arranged meeting space. We'd come back and turn off gas and water, and if necessary do light first aid. We'd do triage until the medical people could get here."

The CERT training isn't difficult, Shoup says. "It's something that everybody can do, no matter what their physical ability. I always seem to end up doing the nursing, but we need people sitting at tables, doing the mental part."

A new CERT training begins January 7th, says Argent. Volunteers can be 14 and older and of any physical ability. The needs are varied, and no particular skills need to be brought. People wishing to volunteer can call Argent at 482-2770.