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