This is interesting. Here they are adamant that we are not to do anything without being activated. In other words, we have to receive an order as a team before we can do anything. During the course, they were emphatic that we cannot self-deploy. (I assume the reasons were as much legal as logistical.) So the catch-and-release model would probably be totally out under this command structure.

Also, apparently one team was composed of college students from a fraternity. I guess once they graduated and moved away, the gear disappeared with them. I only hope they'll get involved in the CERT of their new locations.

The local office of emergency management tries to stay in touch with all CERT teams, but some have dwindled to just one person, and some team leaders have gone incommunicado or disappeared, and consequently they have been replaced.

I agree with you about the gear. I do feel that if we're willing to put in the time and possibly put ourselves in the way of danger, they should outfit us, preferably with decent gear. Each team member needs his/her own backpack with stuff. But each team should also have some gear, too, especially if we're expected to do cribbage and such. Don't we need our own water supply & food as well?

The kit I trained with had the same stuff you complain about: subpar hardhat, flimsy mask & goggles, dated flashlights, debilitatingly oversized gloves, not to mention the lack of a real compass and a knife. On the other hand, I did notice improvement from one generation of gear to the next, so some people are working on this. The newer backpacks, for example, are more efficient than the older style. (Or at least they look more efficient. I trained with the older one.)

One thing I do know: I need to add a belt-mounted small fixed blade. I ended up using my folder a lot, and it's a pain to draw, open, use, then close and "reholster" every other minute.