CERT Drill

What a fun day I had on Saturday! I am a member of CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) all my friends call it my "breath mint club".....anyway CERT is a voluntary organization that helps out in any sort of disaster natural or man made. We train under the local fire department.

Saturday we had a drill at the fire training tower. I arrive as per the time shedule and was let in to the airbase (fire tower is on the airbase / airport property) only to be stopped by the MPs at the one gate to get to the airport perimeter road that takes you to the fire tower. He was nice and didn't give us too much hassle but questioned us on what the hell we were doing there! I guess I should have taken my Osama mask off but I thought it would be fun.....hahaha......Anyway we got to the tower and had a disappointing showing of CERT members....whopping seven of us! Our CERT had also invited the Boy Scouts to help out with the exerciese. I think there were five of them and three leaders.

Our fearless leaders (2-Fireman) showed us a few things on tying knots and using a compass on searches before we headed to test what we had learned out in the field. They split us up into two person groups and away we went. Lucinda was my partner for the day. She is good partner to be teamed with.....not a know it all like some seem to think they are.... but a regular person with enough knowledge to make her dangerous...like me!!......haha....just kidding...anyway we headed off to testing our strides at 100 yards then headed to the first compass course. Once we found each point in the tall grass we had to flip the card listing a task we had to complete like tying a specific knot, triage a patient, splint a part of the body (fireman always get a kick out of that) and do a pressure dressing. We passed the course with flying colors!!! Then it was onto the search in the house. The boy scouts had tried to hide themselves in the training house (ranch house with windows blacked out and all sorts of booby traps set up inside) along with three plastic babies. To top it off they gave us a set of googles with obscured plastic over them to simulate THICK smoke....it was hard and HOT!.......anyway we made it through the maze of rubble, beds, chairs, sofas..etc and missed one kid. I guess everyone team missed that kid...dang it! ...MY POOR KNEES.....get this.....WE DID THIS SEARCH FOR FUN(acronym for F**KING, UGLY, NIGHTMARE!!)!!!!!! One kid I smacked on the head a few times to make sure what it was.....hard to tell with our glass and gloves on....then he started laughing so we knew I had a victim!!! We then headed off to our second compass course and passed that. Our group concluded with discussion and a pot luck lunch which was great!!!

All in all it was a great drill as the numbers were small so we got a little more one on one training and you didn't feel rushed!

I also found out that a few of us that had taken a class to be certified first responders need to do some continuing education...UGH...there goes a few weekends in October and November for that!!! Oh well...it's all good!!!

I am ready for anything!!!..................NOT.................you can never be too prepared!!!