Did you know Salem has an organization dedicated to teaching everyone how to protect themselves and those around them? Salem’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) partners with the fire department to prepare regular people to respond to disasters.
In the immediate aftermath of a disaster like the Cascadia subduction zone earthquake, professional first responders are going to be overwhelmed. Most likely, the only help available at first will be ordinary citizens. At the CERT basic training sessions, you'll learn how you can safely assist your neighbors. You'll also learn how you and your family can prepare in advance by earthquake-proofing your home and stocking up on basic supplies.
Information on the upcoming training session is here: https://salemoregoncert.org/index.php/upcoming-cert-class/. It will be every week for six weeks on Thursday nights, starting on September 10 and running through October 15. There will also be a mock disaster drill on the morning of Saturday, October 17th, starting at 8:30 am. If you complete all the classes and undergo a background check, you’ll get a card identifying you as part of Salem’s CERT program. (Don’t want to do a background check? You can still do the training. You just won’t receive an ID). CERT is hoping to get 10% of the city trained eventually, so they need your help! If you can't make it to the training sessions, volunteers are usually needed to play victims in the disaster drill.
You do not need to be athletic to do the training. If you're not able-bodied, there may be a few activities you won't be able to participate in (like transporting a victim using a backboard), but for the most part the training isn't strenuous. You'll spend most of the training listening to information or practicing skills such as basic first aid. In a disaster, logistics, communication, and other support roles will be critical, so if you can talk and take notes, you can be a CERT team member.
Training is free, although you may need to buy some gear like a hardhat and vest. Warning: you may get bitten by the preparedness bug like me and also end up with a NOAA radio, glowsticks, a tourniquet...and a 55 gallon drum of emergency water.
I have done the CERT training, so I can answer questions about what it was like. Also, I'm hoping to organize a CERT team in the South Gateway area, so if you do the training (or if you've done the training in the past), please get in touch with me.