Emergency Preparedness

The time to prepare for an emergency or disaster is long before it occurs. A small investment of your time and resources could save the life of a family member, neighbor or stranger. Register now for CERT courses being offered in Kaysville and Bountiful.
 
CERT Logo

 About CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)

CERT Registration is open for 2020: Classes teach you how to take care of your family first and then how to help the greatest number of people in an emergency, including managing utilities, putting out fires, opening airways, controlling bleeding and attending to basic medical needs.  This class is only $5 and could save a life. Learn more here.  Register at www.laytoncity.org

Following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services will not be able to meet the demand for these services. Factors such as the number of victims, communication failures, and road blockages will prevent people from accessing emergency services they have come to expect at a moment's notice through 911. People will have to rely on each other for help in order to meet their immediate life saving and life sustaining needs.

One also expects that under these kinds of conditions, family members, fellow employees, and neighbors will spontaneously try to help each other. This was the case following the Mexico City earthquake where untrained, spontaneous volunteers saved 800 people. However, 100 people lost their lives while attempting to save others. This is a high price to pay and is preventable through training.

If we can predict that emergency services will not meet immediate needs following a major disaster, especially if there is no warning as in an earthquake, and people will spontaneously volunteer, what can government do to prepare citizens for this eventuality?

First, present citizens the facts about what to expect following a major disaster in terms of immediate services. Second, give the message about their responsibility for mitigation and preparedness. Third, train them in needed life saving skills with emphasis on decision making skills, rescuer safety, and doing the greatest good for the greatest number. Fourth, organize teams so that they are an extension of first responder services offering immediate help to victims until professional services arrive.

The Community Emergency Response Team concept was developed and implemented by the Los Angeles City Fire Department (LAFD) in 1985. The Whittier Narrows earthquake in 1987 underscored the area-wide threat of a major disaster in California. Further, it confirmed the need for training civilians to meet their immediate needs. As a result, the LAFD created the Disaster Preparedness Division with the purpose of training citizens and private and government employees.

The training program that LAFD initiated makes good sense and furthers the process of citizens understanding their responsibility in preparing for disaster. It also increases their ability to safely help themselves, their family and their neighbors. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recognizes the importance of preparing citizens. The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) and the National Fire Academy adopted and expanded the CERT materials believing them applicable to all hazards.

The CERT course will benefit any citizen who takes it. This individual will be better prepared to respond to and cope with the aftermath of a disaster. Additionally, if a community wants to supplement its response capability after a disaster, civilians can be recruited and trained as neighborhood, business, and government teams that, in essence, will be auxiliary responders. These groups can provide immediate assistance to victims in their area, organize spontaneous volunteers who have not had the training, and collect disaster intelligence that will assist professional responders with prioritization and allocation of resources following a disaster. Since 1993 when this training was made available nationally by FEMA, communities in 28 States and Puerto Rico have conducted CERT training.

For more information about CERT, visit the national website: https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/index.shtm

  Be Ready Utah

Be Ready Utah has all the information you need to prepare your family for a natural disaster. Click the image to explore all of the resources this site has to offer.

  Special Needs Registry

Utah's Special Needs Registry allows residents with special needs, disabilities and access and functional needs an opportunity to provide information to emergency response agencies so those agencies can better plan to serve them in a disaster or other emergencies.

  Everbridge

Everbridge is an emergency notification system that allows residents and businesses to receive notifications of actual or impending emergencies in Woods Cross City or Davis County.

Click Everbridge logo to sign in for notifications.