February 23, 24 and 25, 2024, Firemen Edward Eaton, Dale Kitchens, Art Fitzgerald and myself took a CERT class, Certified Emergency Response Team. We were taught that working as a team, how we could be of help to our fellow neighbors or community in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.  Although we do not have the typical type neighborhood they described in our class here in the DMR, this could be something that would be of great value to us in the DMR. We were taught how to respond to emergencies such as a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, and to some extent fire or flood. We would have a team or teams ready to check on our neighbors and neighborhoods. I do not see us walking door to door, distances might prove to be a problem, but maybe by 4-wheelers or side by side vehicles. We would assess a home for damage and whether it was safe to go in.  If it was determined to be safe to enter, we would then look for survivors and provide basic first aid until the first responders arrived. I did ask if it were possible to have this class offered here if I could get enough people interested. They said yes. Funding for this program is through the Rio Grande Council of Government (COG) and FEMA. They provide supplies and instructors. You would become the first line of response before our firemen or EMS could arrive. This would provide invaluable information to the first responders, allowing them to get to work quicker in helping our community.

During our class, we were given a basic first aid refresher, learned how to search a building or home like first responders, how to mark homes with the correct information, and how set up a triage area for the wounded.  We had a final test where we responded to a simulated bombing of a building. We divided into teams of search and rescue, logistics and triage/first aid.  We each had our jobs to do. We had people volunteer to act as victims.  Our own Judy Eaton and her grandson Virgil Clark were among the volunteers. They were staged in a dark room where the search teams had to find them and bring them to the triage area. The first aid people then assessed them and divided them into groups. Red, the most severely wounded, yellow, wounded but not life threatening and green, those with minor injuries. We dressed wounds, provided bandages, splints and immobilized injuries where necessary, so that when the paramedics arrived, they would know where to start first.

I don’t know if anyone here would be interested but if so please let me know. That way I can see if I can have this class taught up here. 10-15 people would be great.

Edna Queen

Fire Chief – DMPOAVFD, INC                            Click here for more info on CERT