COOL! ~News Release

March 3, 2010
18 finish emergency response training at Northwest








Cribbing is used to raise the debris off of the victim. 18 people recently completed C-CERT training at Northwest

Left, rescuers pass cribbing material from a Maryville Fire and Rescue truck to the location of a victim trapped under heavy debris during recent Campus-Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT) training. The cribbing, along with leverage bars, is used to raise the debris off of the victim. Right, 18 individuals completed the training, including three faculty members. (SUBMITTED PHOTOS)

MARYVILLE, Mo. – Eighteen individuals recently completed this trimester's Campus-Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT) training at Northwest.

The C-CERT program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, including fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization and disaster medical operations. Using training learned in the classroom and during exercises, C-CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood, campus or workplace after an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help.

The training is open to all students, staff and faculty at Northwest.

It concludes with a disaster simulation. Fifteen role players, consisting of school guidance counseling graduate students enrolled in Dr. Linda Sterling's course, acted as victims of a disaster.

The following individuals completed the training:

Nathan Barnes
Larry Boller
Ann Cherne
Jackie Eckle
Mattew Engel
Alice Foose
Andrew Haring
Aaron Johnson
Heidi Johnson
Cynthia Perkins
Dylan Scobee
Melissa Searl
Jessica Seipel
Karna Shepherd
Mitchell Wahlen
Lauren Leach
Sunshine Sutherland
Christopher Edwards

The following people were trainers or safety observers for the program:

Dr. April Haberyan
Dr. John Fisher
Diana Pope
Dr. John Pope
Tanja Shimak
Regina Butler
Bryan Williams
JoDee Lantz
Chaz Johnson
Bradley Head

For more information contact Dr. April Haberyan, assistant professor in the psychology, sociology and counseling department, at 660.562.1305 or ahaber@nwmissouri.edu.



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For more information, please contact:

Mark Hornickel
Media Relations Specialist
E-mail: mhorn@nwmissouri.edu
Phone: 660.562.1704
Fax: 660.562.1900

Northwest Missouri State University
215 Administration Building
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468

CERT finished!

As I posted earlier, Yea! I finally was able to take CERT classes. Well now I think I’ll share my thoughts about the class and let you know what CERT is.

CERT stands for community emergency response team. And what you do there is learn how and what to do in case of an emergency in your neighborhood.

You learn very basic first aid, fire suppression, and light search and rescue. I had fun meeting new people and relearning and learning new procedures. I learned where my weaknesses were and what myy strengths are.

Some of the things you can do as a trained CERT person can help when you have a crisis in your community. I know of many examples that can help you think about where you can help.

When Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped many of the people searching the mountain side were trained in search and rescue.

In July 2009, there was a landslide in Logan, Utah. Cert personnel helped with the emergency.

Here in my own community, my first winter living here we had an ice storm that knocked out power to most people for a week. Some people lived in their offices and we had one household come to our house to take showers and eat. My house had power and I had plenty of heat because I had a wood burning stove. My house was taken care of because of my family’s preparation. This made it possible for my husband to keep his radio station on the air. And so that the people of this community could find out what was going on and where to go if they needed shelter. At this time in 2007 we didn’t have the CERT program here.

For this community, we have CERT available on campus. Check your local fire department or community government offices for a location near you. Or you can search for one close to you at:

http://www.citizencorps.gov/cc/searchCert.do?submitByZip