The Garland Emergency Corp treated Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT) to a Pizza dinner on March 21 in honor of completion of their Certification.  CERT and the Emergency Corp are volunteer groups of the Garland Fire Department.  After dinner we had our final disaster drill at Fire Station number 11.  Students from Garland High Schools volunteered as our victims with miscellaneous injuries and we were supervised and counseled by fire department volunteers and firefighters.  The kids did a great job in their performance as victims in a building that had blown up.  We did experience one little oops though.  One of our male victims lost an arm in the explosion, however, the only arm we located was that of a woman and he declined to accept that.  Strangely we did not have a woman without and arm.  There is always a jokester!  The drill was hard and stressful but we had a great team including our “fearless leader” Lieutenant Greg Huff and we came through with good results.

CERT volunteers are trained in first aid and in triage.  In an disaster event, we will likely be some of the first response teams on the site.  We immediately begin an assessment of damage and a survey of people injured.  Next follows triage; the injured are separated as to immediate care needs and those who are less seriously injured.  While waiting for the paramedics and other medical help to arrive we treat cuts, stop bleeding, sets splints and comfort those who have been hurt in such disasters as tornadoes, floods, large accidents etc.

Our class was taught by Lieutenant Greg Huff of the Garland Fire Department who expertly taught us the difference in normal medical treatment and disaster triage.  He dispelled many myths that we had regarding how we should react in event of a disaster.  The very first thing, and most important for all of us is to be prepared, making sure you have an emergency plan for your family that includes water, food, shelter, medical supplies and supplies for your family pets.

This is a class sponsored by the GFD to train 300 citizens in various areas of the city to be on call should we experience any of these emergencies.  Continuing education classes are in the planning to keep us prepared to serve our Garland neighbors. 

Thanks to the Garland Fire Department, The Emergency Corp and especially to LT!

For information on the next class, please contact Lieutenant Greg Huff at GHuff@ci.garland.tx.us.