If I Were To Rebuild After A Wildfire - Design Considerations

Wildfire Smoke Sunset (photo by V.A. McMillan)

18 January 2025

Title: If I Were to Rebuild After a Wildfire

Never let a crisis go to waste – Socialist Saul Alinsky. Governments follow a similar mantra. So, with California once again being ravaged by wildfires and Canuckistan having had two really bad wildfire seasons (2023 & 2024), it is time to share some constructive suggestions for building better homes to weather wildfires. Nothing I am sharing is particularly novel. Four years in school (2019 – 2022) and reviewing tons of documents, articles, publications, textbooks, and reports; all to learn that the answers to creating fireproof homes has been around for decades. And more importantly your government and your insurance company both know this information. So why don’t you???? That is a curious question. FEMA, IBHS, ICLR and the numerous wildfire research facilities in North America, have all done the research and written the reports to share how to fireproof your home. Yet, homes continue to be made with materials and using designs that do NOT protect you or your home from wildfires! So, in the following blog post, I will endeavour to share as many practical ideas as possible. If you need to know my source material, here are some links to my past blog posts sharing my school research which have appropriate references:

Capstone: https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/11/capstone-research-project-houses-of.html

Research Proposal: https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-research-proposal-for-houses-of.html

Lit Review: https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/09/houses-of-straw-sticks-bricks.html

Lit Review: https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/beyond-three-little-pigs-creating_29.html

Bridging Gap: https://thegoodplanblog.blogspot.com/2023/12/bridging-gap-connecting-resilient.html

In keeping with my research (LINK), I would want the following features if I was rebuilding my home after a wildfire:

• ·     Steep pitch roof (a minimum of a 4/12 pitch, with a 6/12 or 8/12 pitch being worth considering for shedding embers and fire brands) covered with metal roofing. If wind is also a consideration in addition to wildfire, ensure the roof is a hip roof design and not a gable roof or a complex roof design, to shed the wind.
• ·    Augment windows (double or triple pane units) with fire shutters or storm shutters. Roll-down metal shutters would also be an option.
• ·     Storm doors would also be worth adding over entrances that are not protected with roll-down shutters or other styles of storm/fire shutters.
• ·   Consider upgrading to 2”x8” stick construction from the standard 2”x6” wall construction currently used in the housing industry. A 2”x8” wall construction would allow roll-down shutters for doors and windows to be built with a near flush finish with the exterior wall covering. A 2”x8” wall would hold more insultation providing improved thermal efficiency whether to preventing heating or cooling, depending on the weather conditions.
• ·    Insulate with Rock Wool mineral-based insulation, which is fireproof would be my first choice.
• ·    Fire rated (FR) Gyproc interior boarding would go without saying. The exterior would be finished with a cement-fibre board like Hardie Shingle board or other Hardie Board products. Any exposed beams would be covered with Hardie Plank.
• ·     All vents or exhaust opening would be covered with fine wire mesh covers – no larger than 1/8” spacing between wires. ¼” wire spacing is too large and allows fine embers and small fire brands to enter, which could defeat other fireproofing techniques.

2"x8" Wall Features

Since I conducted my research for school, I have continued to pay attention to the issues for homes in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). But these solutions for those in the WUI also make good sense for any home constructed in an urban environment if you prefer to reduce your risk to fire hazards taking your home away. So, let’s list a few more things to consider:

• ·   Make your home and your property as defendable as possible from fire. Both FireSmart and Firewise provide many suggests that work. Start with fireproofing the area from 0’ to 5’ around your home. Once fireproofed, this space needs to be maintained and kept free from combustible fuels. This is referred to as Zone Zero, the space every homeowner has control over. Defend this space with your time and effort and you stand a higher chance that your home will be less impacted by fire if a fire occurs in close proximity.
• ·     Roof mounted sprinkler systems offer another defence tool to protect your roof and home from embers and fire brands for establishing themselves. If the embers and fire brands cannot burn surface materials because they are wet, then a fire is much more difficult to get established. In drier climates having a ready source of water to supply the sprinkler system would be very helpful. Back this up with a gas or propane powered water pump in the event that grid power is out, and water lines are no longer pressured – i.e., you turn the tap and no water comes out…no pressure for the water system.
• ·      Where your home comes in contact with the ground, the walls going up from this point want to be covered in a non-combustible surface – solid concrete foundation walls, stone foundation walls, or covered with cement parging, stucco, cement-fibre board, tile, cultured stone. It does not matter too much as long as it cannot burn. This wants to cover at least the first 6” to 12” above the ground. This is an area where embers and fire brands projected from the wildfire will accumulate. Again, if a fire cannot establish against the wall, fire is less likely to get inside your home.
• ·    Working out from your home are Zones 1 thru 3 (5’ out to 100’ around your home). The more prevention efforts you put into these spaces the greater the chance fire will have less impact on your home. Also, the more defendable this space, the greater the chance the wildfire service will invest their time to defend your home. From the wildfire services’ perspective, why would they invest any time or risk the lives of their firefighters defending a property that is a powder keg ready to explode when the ember storm arrives??? If you take the time and make the effort to create a defendable space, it will also be a safe location for wildfire firefighters to protect themselves, too. Follow FireSmart and Firewise before it's fire season.
• ·    Water feature as part of your landscaping is another method to ensure there is water on your property for fighting wildfires. You may even want to contact your local wildfire firefighters to get their input on your landscaping to ensure they can pump from your water source, if ever needed.
• ·   Going back to Zone 3, the outer space of your property defence. Consider strategic forest management. Yes, the purest fire defence would be to log everything and leave no fuel for a wildfire to feed on…however, few people want to live on a concrete slab or gravel parking lot. Defend hardest closest to your home and change the fire behaviour as far from your home as possible. This can be achieved by removing deadwood laying on the forest floor and removing ladder fuels that go from the ground up the trunk of the trees. Also, delimb your trees for the first 6’ to 10’ above the ground. Spacing between trees also plays a role in fire behaviour. The closer trees are together the easier it is for a wildfire to move. There are many factors that play into making a recommended spacing – age, height, health, species, climate, and time since last forest fire. This could be an entire blog post on its own. Once delimbed for 10’ spacing could be 10’ to 12’ between tree trunks, but that might be too close in some instances. Another strategy is to replace conifer trees with deciduous species closer to your home, as they do not burn as easy during most seasons. Local area knowledge needs to be applied to any of these suggestions.

I hope this gives you some ideas, too! For more ideas do your own research on:

• ·       FireSmart
• ·       Firewise
• ·       Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR)
• ·       Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS)
• ·       Dr. Jack Cohen – US Forest Service / Wildfire Researcher

To plug my own book, The G.O.O.D. Plan – Get Out Of Dodge (available on Amazon), I wrote some suggestions for homeowners for defending their property from wildfire to prevent getting evacuated. Many have been repeated above.

Until next time…take the time to defend your home and property from wildfire!

 

Mountainman.

Planning Section Chief Course Review - 02 April to 05 April 2024

Emerson Lake, High River, AB (photo by V.A. McMillan, 2023)

 

Title: Planning Section Chief Course Review – 02 April to 05 April 2024

 

The Town of High River with the High River Fire Department hosted the Planning Section Chief course delivered by Daryl Black of Exigent Academy (https://www.exigentinc.ca/43055/academy/). The program was delivered at the Memorial Centre in High River, Alberta between the 2^nd and the 5^th of April 2024. The Alberta Emergency Management Agency was also present to ensure their endorsement was not misplaced. The program had other ICS role specific training – Incident Commanders, Operations Section Chiefs, Logistics Section Chiefs, and Task Force Leaders/Strike Team Leaders. In all, over 100-students received exceptional training in their specialty.  

For many who take ICS (Incident Command System) training, there is little opportunity for enhanced training beyond the ICS-100, ICS-200, ICS-300, and ICS-400 courses. Thankfully, organizations like Exigent Academy are stepping in to fill this knowledge gap. The first operational period should NOT be the place where you learn about the role you need to fulfil. Daryl Black and his team of instructors did a fantastic job of sharing their personal experiences and knowledge of ICS and incident management. I did not encounter any student who expressed any displeasure with their learning experience. Kudos, Daryl!

This training event was hosted in the Memorial Centre in downtown High River. A fitting venue, since some of the case studies discussed included the 2013 Southern Alberta Floods, which flowed down streets right close to the Memorial Centre. Not only was the training excellent, the catering service for the provided lunches throughout the week was also excellent. Easier to learn when you are in an appropriate facility and eating great food during the lunch break…good food fuels learning well.

So, what did it cost, you ask??? Each role specific training cost $875 and that included access to digital student manuals and the catered lunches. In my biased opinion, it was a good value. For those considering getting onboard for the next training opportunity, just know that ICS-300 is a pre-requisite.

Until next time…Get some training!

VAM.

Bridging The Gap - Connecting Resilient Housing Research with Informed Buyer's Behaviour

Iceland Mountain & Mist (photo by V.A. McMillan, October 2023)

 

Today, I will share an article initially written to be submitted to the Canadian Journal of Emergency Management (CJEM). It was a very valuable experience, especially as my scholastic phase was coming to an end; to experience writing, submitting, editing, and waiting for the article to be reviewed and either accepted or not. Unfortunately, for my first attempt, my article did not achieve the required standard to be published in CJEM. While, I would have been honoured to be published on the first try; it was going through the process to be published that was a very valuable experience. One day in the future, when I have the time on my hands, I will craft future articles and hopefully, I will get published. Thankfully, I have my blogs to publish my works to share with others. 

I have made a couple edits to the submitted draft article. However, even these edits would have been unlikely to have changed the selection process, but they will make this post more complete. Enjoy.

Bridging Gaps – Encouraging Citizen Participation in Requesting Disaster Resilient Structures that Meet FEMA, IBHS, ICLR, & IBC Recommendations 

V. Andrew McMillan

Justice Institute of British Columbia

For

Canadian Journal of Emergency Management

Due Date: January 2023

Bridging Gaps – Encouraging Citizen Participation in Requesting Disaster Resilient Structures that Meet Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), & Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) Recommendations  

The quintessential question in home structures has always been why don’t homeowners, building owners, and residential renters request structures that are designed and constructed disaster resilient? As end-users of these accommodation structures, should they not have a voice to demand structures that do not fail when disaster strikes? Many emergency management practitioners and academics are familiar with the engineered solutions from organizations like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), and the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). This paper will contribute to the greater discussion of bridging structural disaster resilient housing solutions for “disaster proofing” housing. 

Defining the Problem

With increasing severity and frequency of disaster events (United Nations, 2015), the need for structural disaster resiliency should be self-evident. Four of the seven targets identified on UN DRR website (https://www.undrr.org/implementing-sendai-framework/what-sendai-framework) are: reduce disaster mortality, reduce the number of impacted persons, reduce direct economic loss, and reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and basic services. All these targets are positively impacted if disaster resilient structures were the norm, rather than the exception. If the structures where people live, work, or learn are not destroyed by disaster events, fewer people would be injured or killed, recovery time from disasters would be reduced, and economic loss would be minimized. 

FEMA expressed concern that the transfer of knowledge, like solutions to disaster resilient structures, are trapped in research and agency silos and not reaching all audiences (FEMA, 2018)). In addition, agencies supported by the insurance industry, may be missing the opportunity to practice preventative strategies when solutions for designing and constructing resilient structures are not known by home or building owners. The key is to include all stakeholders in defining the problem, for without input from all impacted parties there might be gaps in the solutions devised. See Figure 1 for a Venn diagram of the interconnectedness of stakeholders and the location of the solution zone. 

Figure 1 Stakeholders & Systems

Disasters of the greatest impact to resilient housing structures result from a ‘quadruple threat’ created by wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and severe wind events (McMillan, 2022). The priority is to develop disaster resilient structures that are specifically designed, constructed, and operated to defeat a quadruple threat’s impact on the end-user, as this will ensure a higher survival rate for people and their homes when disaster strikes their community. 

Solutions 

The solutions required to design, construct, and operate disaster resilient homes and other structures in the quadruple threat environment (wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and wind events) span multiple sources (McMillan, 2022). IBHS, ICLR, and IBC share solutions to multiple specific threat vectors developed from their individual research labs. Other sources, like FireSmart (Canada) and FireWise (USA) are focused on wildfire mitigation tactics homeowners can employ to minimize the impacts caused by wildfires. FireSmart targets individual owners, while Firewise targets entire neighbourhoods and communities. The Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) targets the end-user and have developed a buyer’s guide for resilient homes to positively influence buying habits (2021). Other findings can be summed up for the roofing system, wall and floor system, foundation system and the water management (drainage) system. Solutions for the roofing system are most numerous as the roof is one of the critical systems of a disaster-proofed structure. The hip-styled roof profile enhances aerodynamics and ensures wind resistance (FEMA, 2013; Ginger et al., 2021). A steep pitched roof, 3/12 for water drainage, 4/12 for snow shedding, and 6/12 for hurricane resistance, is recommended for water and wind events (Deltec, 2020; FEMA, 2011). Fireproofed roofs require construction with non-combustible materials while using lightweight material can provide some protection from injuries from earthquakes (Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD), 2022; Syphard et al., 2017; ICLR, 2016). Universally, the use of complex roof designs, including skylights, is strongly discouraged as they can be the weakest component of a roofing system to the quadruple threat of fire, water, quakes, and wind disaster elements (FEMA, 2006). 

Moving from the roofing system, the wall and floor system are substantially strengthened when continuous loading is achieved from roof to foundation (Deltec, 2020; FEMA, 2011). Achieving this requires using hurricane straps and hangers to connect trusses to the walls, connecting floor joist hangers to beams, and bolting sill plates to the concrete foundation (Deltec, 2020). Both fire and hurricane shutters rated appropriately can contribute to defending a structure from disaster by covering openings, while preventing firebrands and embers from infiltrating (FEMA, 2013; ICLR 2012/2018). Exterior siding should be constructed from non-combustible, impact resistant materials to offer maximum protection from heat or flame and wind hurled projectiles (FEMA, 2021, Quarles et al., 2010). 

The structural finding for the foundation system focuses mainly on earthquake and flood resilience. The addition of rubber crumb from recycled automotive tires to the concrete poured for footings and foundation can increase the foundation’s capacity to absorb motion (Chiaro et al., 2019). Similarly, structures built in the flood plain would greatly benefit from foundation systems that exclude the use of a basement (Boughton et al., 2017). Alternatively, the use of permanent elevated foundation or amphibious foundations, to get homes above the planned flood level, offer options for structures built in hurricane country (English et al., 2021; FEMA, 2011; Piatek & Wojnowska-Heciak, 2020). 

Finally, the water management system incorporates ideas to get water from the roof and dispersed away from the foundation or footings, as well as to prevent backup of sewage into the structure. This includes keeping roof gutters and downspouts free and clear of debris to prevent water backup inundating the structure in unplanned locations (IBC, 2016). Water falling from the sky or flowing overland are not the only flooding hazards to prepare for. When urban storm water systems are shared with wastewater systems, the opportunity for extreme back pressure is increased during flooding events. The homeowner has a couple of options to combat this threat. First is to ensure a properly sized and operational backflow valve is installed between the home’s sewer line and the city’s sewer system (ICLR, n.d.). This will prevent sewage from being forced into the lowest levels of a home, as the valve only allows movement in one direction, away from the home. The next item is to install a proper sized and functioning sump pump in the lowest level of the structure (IBC, 2016). The one caveat is to ensure the discharge from the sump pump is not re-entering the structure in another location. 

Figure 2 depicts over three dozen solutions that can be adopted at the design stage to improve structural disaster resilience and many of these solutions can be adopted and retrofitted into existing structures to enhance their structural disaster resiliency. 

Figure 2 Infographic -- Solutions (See Appendix for Details)

While some solutions such as fire and wind mitigation solutions are universally beneficial, the infographic is colour-coded to identify the different threats solutions work to mitigate. Thus, solutions in red mitigates fire risk, solutions in blue mitigate water emergencies, solutions in brown mitigate earthquake damage, and solutions in grey mitigate wind events. Readers can assess and determine which solutions is most relevant to combat hazard threat most common to their location. To make an informed decision, the reader or end-user must be aware of the available strategies to increase structural disaster resiliency, which is the goal of the infographic – collecting and sharing as many solutions as practical. 

An uninformed end-user will continue to accept whatever options are available on the market. To modify this purchasing behaviour to one that demands disaster resilient structures will require open dialogue, education, and factual, objective information. Unfortunately, marketing theory suggests that purchases are often influenced heavily by emotional factors. Therefore, it is highly recommended those with marketing expertise must be invited to the discussion of disaster-resilient home structures. While important to ensure building back better after disasters, but more importantly, building homes that can mitigate damage from disaster events. Thereby, increasing the community’s structural disaster resiliency will greatly aid in reducing fatalities, and those negatively impacted by disasters caused by the quadruple threat, including infrastructure and economic losses. 

References 

Boughton, G.N., Falck, D.J., & Henderson, D.J. (2017). Tool to evaluate the resilience of buildings to severe wind events. In H. Hao & C. Zhang (Eds.), Mechanics of structures and materials: Advancements and challenges (pp. 1887-1892). Taylor & Francis Group.

Chiaro, G., Palermo, A., Granello, G., Hernandez, E., Tasalloti, A., Stratford, C., & Banasiak, L.J. (2019). Enhancing the resilience of low-rise buildings: A New Zealand perspective. Society for Earthquake and Civil Engineering Dynamics. https://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/17930

Colorado Springs Fire Department (CFSD). (2022). Ignition resistant construction design manual. The City of Colorado Springs. https://www.coswildfireready.org/codes-and-standards#rFblSt

Deltec Homes. (2020, 29 November). Anatomy of hurricane resistant home [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q_iAOSn8uM

English, E.C., Chen, M., Zarins, R., Patange, P., & Wiser, J.C. (2021). Building resilience through flood risk reduction: The benefits of amphibious foundation retrofits to heritage structures. International Journal Architectural Heritage, 15:7, 976-984. https://doi.org/10.1080/15583058.2019.1695154

Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH). (2021). Buyer’s guide to resilient homes – How to strengthen your home against natural disasters. https://buyersguidetoresilienthomes.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/9-7-21-Buyers-Guide-to-Resilient-Homes-Final.pdf

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2006). FEMA 232: Homebuilders’ guide to earthquake resistant design and construction. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/fema_232_homebuilders-guide-to-earthquake-resistant-design_6-2006.pdf

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2011). FEMA P-55 Vol. II: Coastal construction manual – Principles and practices of planning, siting, designing, constructing, and maintaining residential buildings in coastal areas (4^th ed.). https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/building-science/publications?name=%22P-55%2C+Coastal+Construction+Manual%3A+Principles+and+Practices+of+Planning%2C+Siting%2C+Designing%2C+Constructing%2C+and+Maintaining+Resi%22

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2013). Mitigation ideas – A resource for reducing risk to natural hazards. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/fema-mitigation-ideas_02-13-2013.pdf

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2018). A proposed research agenda for the emergency management higher education community. https://training.fema.gov/hiedu/docs/latest/2018_fema_research_agenda_final-508%20(march%202018).pdf

Federal Emergency Management Agency. (2021). FEMA P-361: Safe rooms for tornadoes and hurricanes – Guidance for community and residential safe rooms (4^th ed.). https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_safe-rooms-for-tornadoes-and-hurricanes_p-361.pdf

Ginger, J., Parackall, K., Henderson, D., Wehner, M., Ryu, H., & Edwards, M. (2021). Improving the resilience of existing housing to severe wind events – Final project report. Cyclone Testing Station, James Cook University. https://www.preventionweb.net/files/76921_improvingtheresilienceofexistinghou.pdf

Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction. (n.d.). Focus on backwater valves. Retrieved on, 09 June 2022, from https://www.iclr.org/wp-content/uploads/PDFS/focus-on-backwater-valves.pdf

Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction. (2012/2018). Protect your home from severe wind. https://www.iclr.org/wp-content/uploads/PDFS/ICLR_Severe-wind_2018.pdf

Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction. (2016). ICLR’s QuakeSmart program – Protect your home from earthquakes. https://www.iclr.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/ICLR_Earthquakes_2016.pdf

Insurance Bureau of Canada. (2016). Water damage – Are you protected? http://assets.ibc.ca/Documents/Brochures/Water-Damage-on-the-Rise.pdf

Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. (2011, 25 April). IBHS Research Center ember storm test highlights [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvbNOPSYyss

McMillan, V.A. (2022). Houses of straw, sticks, and bricks: Increasing structural disaster resiliency to wildfires, floods, earthquakes, wind events, and the big bad wolf [Unpublished capstone research project]. Justice Institute of British Columbia.

Piatek, L., & Wojnowska-Heciak, M. (2020). Multicase study comparison of different types of flood-resilient buildings (Elevated, amphibious, and floating) at the Vistula River in Warsaw, Poland. Sustainability, 12(22):9725. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229725

Quarles, S.L., Valachovic, Y., Nakamura, G.M, Nader, G.A., & De LaSaux, M.J. (2010). Home survival in wildfire-prone areas: Building materials and design considerations. Agriculture and Natural Resources, Publication 8393. https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8393.pdf

Syphard, A.D., Brennan, T.J., & Keeley, J.E. (2017). The importance of building construction materials relative to other factors affecting structure survival during wildfire. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 21(2017), 140-147. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2016.11.011

United Nations. (2015, 23 June). Resolution 69/283. Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015-2030. https://www.preventionweb.net/files/resolutions/N1516716.pdf

Appendix

Thank you for reading this post.

Here are the links to other school projects I have posted on my blogs:

Research Poster:

https://thegoodplanblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/increasing-structural-disaster.html 

Literature Review from 2019

https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/beyond-three-little-pigs-creating_29.html

Literature Review from 2022

https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/09/houses-of-straw-sticks-bricks.html

Research Proposal from 2022

https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-research-proposal-for-houses-of.html

Capstone Research Project 2022

https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/11/capstone-research-project-houses-of.html

Keep studying the world around you!!

V.A.M.

Increasing Structural Disaster Resiliency to Wildfire, Floods, Earthquakes, & Wind Events - A Research Poster

 With school behind me and getting published in a journal elusive, it is now time to start sharing some of my school research with a larger audience, like you!!

I am going to start by sharing my research poster:

My Research Poster from the BESM Program @ the JIBC (c) 2022

I will save any editorials until I have posted all my interesting papers here or on my other blog, I will be sure to share links between both blogs, as I will post different projects on each one.

Remember, go to school, get a good education, and share what you have learned,

VAM.

Update: Next post at Mountainman's Mantra: 

https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/08/beyond-three-little-pigs-creating_29.html

Update: Next literature review:

https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/09/houses-of-straw-sticks-bricks.html

Update: Research Proposal:

https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/10/the-research-proposal-for-houses-of.html

Update: Capstone Research Project:

https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/11/capstone-research-project-houses-of.html

Update: Bridging the Gaps Article:

https://thegoodplanblog.blogspot.com/2023/12/bridging-gap-connecting-resilient.html

CERT LSAR Table Top Exercise Game Board Concept

Looking West (photo by V.A. McMillan)

 Title: CERT LSAR Table Top Exercise Game Board

 

As mentioned in a recent blog post (https://thegoodplanblog.blogspot.com/2023/01/cert-basics-course-still-time-to.html) I will be instructing the CERT Basics Light Search and Rescue (LSAR) unit for CERT Canada. For other CERT instructors and CERT teams who may be working on setting up or refreshing their LSAR training, I wanted to take this time to share the table top exercise (TTX) game board I have designed. This TTX game board is sized 36” wide x 24” high, and yes, it is laminated. Once seen, I am sure most instructors and team leaders would be able to create a version for themselves that would benefit their students or team. I would expect any renditions would employ a local map in the centre that would be known and of value to the location of the CERT team.

CERT TTX Game Board with Map 1 (Click on image to enlarge)

CERT TTX Game Board with Map 2

This TTX game board can likely be used with almost any TTX scenario used for CERT Basics LSAR or CERT team scenario training. The nine-step SIZE-UP frames the map, so that the team can be talked through the scenario and appropriate comments, decisions, options, resources, etc. can be recorded on the game board. Using fine tipped whiteboard markers the information can be recorded directly to the game board and at the end of the training session a damp cloth can erase the marking and be ready for the next training event.

One benefit, I see of this style of TTX game board is, the CERT student and CERT team members get exposure and repetitive use of the CERT SIZE-UP process. The more this is done, the stronger the understanding of why it is used, and by extension the easier it will be remembered when CERT deploys in response to an actual disaster event.

This is just a quick post to share this training aide and maybe generate some discussion.

Innovation makes training interesting!

VAM

Update: See a generic version of the game board here: https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/01/table-top-exercise-ttx-game-board-for.html 

CERT Basics Course, Still Time to Register!

Mountains (photo by V.A. McMillan)

 

Title: CERT Basics Course, Still Time to Register!

 

CERT Canada is running a CERT Basics Course, 27^th – 28^th of January and concludes on the 4^th of February 2023. (See poster below for full details.) Contact CERT Canada to register online (https://www.bridgesoflove.net/events) or by calling the CERT Canada office (403) 649-0087), for more details. (Yes, some content is the same as on Mountainman’s Mantra https://mtnmanblog.blogspot.com/2023/01/not-too-late-to-register-cert-basics.html).

Poster from CERT Canada

Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) is a community level training scheme to ensure prepared citizens are ready to step up during times of emergency or disaster to be neighbours helping neighbours until first responders can arrive and take-over the response. CERT traces its lineage back to the mid-80’s in Southern California. Since then, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has taken the CERT program nationwide in the United States. CERT Canada in endeavouring to spread the program across Canada.

One of the best histories of the development of CERT is written by David M. Simpson (2001) in an article he wrote for the May 2001 issue of the Natural Hazard Review, pages 54 to 63. His article can be found online (https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/(ASCE)1527-6988(2001)2:2(54)) or by searching with DOI https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)1527-6988(2001)2:2(54). One point that is lamented through this article is the role played by the citizen during the time of disaster from incident start until help arrives. While big governments and little, promote being prepared and self-sufficient for the first 72-hours, the reality is, it could be much longer before help can arrive depending on the nature and extent of the disaster event. The best mitigation for a protracted disaster event has got to be a prepared citizenry. CERT ethos of neighbours helping neighbours, is a great starting point to create a foundational level of training from which to build neighbourhood or community CERT teams on. Equally important in the CERT training scheme is to maintain or enhance training of CERT teams on a regular basis after the initial CERT Basics course. This will be self-directed training from the CERT team, achieved by holding weekly or monthly meetings and training sessions. This can be further enhanced by CERT organizations hosting quarterly, bi-annual, or annual training workshops, exercises, and/or drills. Individuals on the CERT teams may seek to enhance their personal knowledge and skill level by attending targeted training in first aid, the incident command system, or communications. Or individuals may seek training by becoming a member of another organization – volunteer firefighter, volunteer search & rescue, or becoming a member with St. John’s Ambulance. The more skills and knowledge an individual bring to their CERT team, the more resourceful and valuable that CERT team will be to their community.

Speaking of community…community is one aspect of CERT that should be explored a bit more. While traditionally community is seen as the location you live, it can also be the location where you work or where you pray. FEMA has CERT team training focused on workplace CERT teams and for congregations at the respective houses of worship. Community is where you feel a sense of belonging. And an individual can be a member of multiple communities. Be extension then, CERT teams can be in multiple locations and have members specific to one community but not another. And this is okay. In fact, the better the network of CERT teams with shared members, will help ensure success wherever you are when disaster strikes. It would wonderful if every neighbourhood could produce one seven-member CERT team. It would be wonderful if every workplace with more than 50 employees per shift could produce one seven-member CERT team. And it would be wonderful if every house of worship could also produce a seven-member CERT team. To achieve a seven-member CERT team, would mean that citizen responders caught in the disaster event could begin helping their neighbours immediately, not in an hour, not in a day, not in a week. But right now. To achieve this, more folks need to become involved in their community/communities. Community is coming together, working together, learning together.

To this end, CERT Canada is hosting a CERT Basics course and you still have time to register, so you can become trained and help form a CERT team in your community – where you live, where you work, where you pray. Contact CERT Canada to register online (https://www.bridgesoflove.net/events) or by calling the CERT Canada office (403) 649-0087), for more details.

Yes, the rumours are true, I will be there on the 4^th of February, instructing the CERT Light Search & Rescue unit. I hope to see you there.

Be part of the solution…Get trained! Form a CERT Team!

VAM

Introduction to Emergency Management in Canada - A Book Review

Looking West of Plateau Mountain (photo by V.A. McMillan)

Time to add a new title to your emergency management library. I have just received my copy of Introduction to Emergency Management in Canada (2023) Editors Chris J. Collins and Darren Blackburn, published by Emond (https://emond.ca/Store/Books/ ). I am still reading it at the moment, and without finishing this volume, I highly recommend this book. First, it has a Canadian spin which is nice in textbooks. Second, many of the authors were my instructors at the Justice Institute of British Columbia. Most importantly, this is a well written book that is formatting for easy reading and finding information. The logic of the chapters works well. Inside the chapters, the format works well, at least for me.

Cover of Introduction to Emergency Management in Canada (2023)

I will write a more thorough review once this semester is finished, and I have time for a deeper read of this excellent book.

So, are you still reading this?? Did you order your copy, yet??

What are you waiting for??

https://emond.ca/Store/Books/Introduction-to-Emergency-Management-in-Canada

That was the link to Emond Publishing.

Emergency preparedness begins with knowledge. Knowledge comes from many sources, like excellent books!!

VAM