Greetings,

I just wanted to share about a great program I've been going through with the local county government called CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams). This training teaches citizens about disaster preparedness, fire safety and supression, disaster medical operations including triage, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, and terrorism. The conclusion of the course is a disaster simulation.

Naturally, many of the students are, like ourselves, preparedness enthusiasts. We had an impromptu "show me your kit" time at the end of one class, where one boy scout master had a particularly impressive large-group wilderness first aid kit in a giant fishing tackle box.

The medical and search and rescue were the most interesting sections to me. It really increases your comfort level to just know basic airway management (chin lift) and how to dress different kinds of wounds. As a result, I'm doubling the amount of 4x4 sterile gauze and cling wrap in my home kit. Now I know what they mean on the TV show "E.R." when they refer to "checking capillary refill time" (squeeze fingernail and see how long it takes for it to turn back to normal color again).

The great part about this training is that it is free to the participant (well, not really, since it is funded by tax dollars), but anyway, at the end of the training, you get a kit with a mask, goggles, gloves, hard hat, reflective vest, weather radio, etc.

Good stuff.