Drop, Cover, and Hold On with Lamorinda CERT

On Saturday, October 20, members of the Lamorinda Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will be responding to a simulated moderately severe earthquake.

Their first job will be to secure their families and check their neighborhoods to find out if anyone needs help. They will be using FRS radios, Ham radios and runners to report their neighborhood situation to the Emergency Operations Center.

When their neighborhoods are secure, they will report to the Rheem Elementary School in Moraga which will be the site designated as the local shelter for this exercise. 

At the school, they will find trapped and injured children, parents looking for their children and local residents needing medical help and shelter.

With the help of the Red Cross, the CCC Medical Reserve Corps, the Salvation Army and local first responders the CERTs will rescue and transport injured victims, provide emergency medical care, and establish a shelter.

While maintaining communications with the Emergency Operations Center, the Community Emergency Response Team members will use their skills and training to fulfill their essential role in local emergency response.

This is the first time Lamorinda CERTs will practice their role in a disaster in the neighborhoods as well as at a shelter.

Under the supervision of a simulated Emergency Operations Center they will organize their response teams and take the lead in search and rescue, medical operations and opening and operating a shelter.

You may recognize the benefits of having a Community Emergency Response Team in an organized neighborhood.

The exercise on Saturday, October 20 is from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm and neighborhoods and CERTs interested in participating should email drill@lamorindacert.org.

Non-CERTs can sign-up to participate as volunteer victims here.

Drill Timeline:

• 8:00 am   "Victims" arrive at Rheem Elementary for moulage (applying mock injuries for the purpose of training) 
• 8:30 am   Exercise Starts in neighborhoods
• 9:00 am  CERTs start arriving at Rheem Elementary
• 9:30 am   "walk-in victims" start to show up at Rheem Elementary
• 10:00 am Red Cross Shelter opens
• 12:30 pm Hot-wash to discuss drill issues
• 1:00 pm   Exercise complete

If you want help preparing your neighborhood for any emergency, email drill@lamorindacert.org. Lamorinda CERTs are eager to help and look forward to seeing you in the next CERT class.