CERT program teaches life-saving skills
San Benito County residents can learn life-saving skills at the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training, a program offered by the Monterey-San Benito County Red Cross that is free for county residents.
Neil Schatmeier, a San Benito County resident, took the CERT training about a year ago.
“I remember one thing that was really cool that sticks out in my mind,” Schatmeier said.
The training was held at the new fire station on Union, Schatmeier said.
In a lot behind the station, the firefighters started a fire.
“It was a good 20-foot flame bonfire kind of thing,” Schatmeier said. “They had us put on their gear and put out the fire with fire extinguishers. You learned how to put it out really fast, and properly.”
Another activity he remembers was a search and rescue training.
“They have obstacles in the room,” Schatmeier said. “They overturn chairs and tables and stuff like that.”
The object was to rescue ‘victims’ inside the room, CPR mannequins.
“They are in different states of emergency,” Schatmeier said. “One person might be completely unconscious. One might have their legs stuck but can talk to you. Who should you go to first?”
They also watched a lot of videos, power point presentations and discussed different emergency scenarios.
“Let’s say you’re going to the post office,” Schatmeier said. “Everybody is running out of the post office, and everybody is rubbing their eyes. What do you do?”
Schatmeier learned what precautions to take and how to assist in such situations.
Through CERT, people learn how to help themselves, their family and their neighbors, Schatmeier said.
Those skills are particularly important in San Benito County, Schatmeier said. Hollister is the earthquake capitol of the world, he said.
“With the faults all converging in Hollister, we have big potential for emergency,” Schatmeier said. “It is more a matter of when, not if.”
Hollister is also an isolated community.
“You come down 101, and it’s Hwy. 25, and you don’t see another community for 20 minutes,” Schatmeier said. “If there is a big earthquake, we’re going to have to fend for ourselves for a few days.”
The more people in San Benito County who are trained to handle an emergency, the better off everyone will be, Schatmeier said.
“We saw it back in ’89,” Schatmeier said. “You have a sense of really wanting to help each other. It’s nice to be prepared ahead of time instead of reacting. If people can just do a few little things, it could make a big difference.”
In an emergency, having CERT trained individuals would be beneficial, said Jeff Miller, Hollister’s chief of police.
“The more people are trained, the more people can look out for themselves and their neighbors,” Miller said. “It’s an outstanding program and the level of awareness that it brings is real important towards mitigating the effect of a disaster.”
In an emergency, people will need to take care of themselves and their family for at least three days, said Paula Herrera, executive director of the Monterey-San Benito Red Cross.
“In my mind, it will be five or six days,” Herrera said. “A little bit of water in the back of your car and a couple of granola bars – that’ll keep you alive for a couple of days.”
Through CERT, people learn how to shut off their utilities, how to make their home earthquake safe and other skills, Herrera said.
Although CERT is not a new program, it is new to San Benito County..
“I’ve been aware of it for 10 years,” Herrera said. “We offered it once last year and had a very low turnout.”
The 72-hour course was funded by a $10,000 Department of Homeland Security grant, said Brian Tremblay, San Benito County’s emergency services manager.
Every participant receives a CERT manual, safety helmet, vest and tools, according to a press release from Red Cross staff.
“Because of the funding, they get the kind of tools that they would be able to use for a lifetime,” Herrera said. “I’ve been helping people pick up the pieces for 33 years. So many disasters are preventable.”
For more information about CERT, call Lynda Maguet at 424-4824.
