Welcome to community emergency response training refresher courses. Today we are going to practice victim role and appropriate methods for removing a victim with a team on a stretcher. But before we do any activity, let’s talk safety. Before considering any CERT response, three issues must be determined. Am I working in a buddy system, do I have the appropriate equipment, and have I conducted size-up? No CERT response should occur, unless all responders have considered these issues. Safety is critical in every CERT response. Never respond alone, always respond using a buddy system. Evaluate your equipment. No CERT response should ever be attempted unless all responders are wearing safety equipment. Good footwear, which have thick soles and if possible a protective toe cap. A safety vest, with highly visible reflective tape. Protect your hands, no CERT respond should occur unless both pairs of gloves are being worn. Surgical gloves, to protect the responder and heavy work gloves to protect the surgical gloves. Wear a dust mask to prevent debris and body fluids from entering your body that may come from the victim. A helmet, be sure to adjust this helmet so that it sets high on your head, so you may take the most advantage of the suspension system that the helmet offers. Wear eyewear to prevent dust, debris, and body fluids that may come from the victim from then entering in your eyes. A whistle, to signal to others that you are needing their attention. Additional items to consider adding to your response kit, a secondary flashlight, a note pad and ink pin, duct tape and water proof marker, a crescent wrench for turning off the gas, and protective knee pads. And finally, but most important do not forget to turn on your CERT brain. As you learned in class, an end of every CERT responds, the conductor must conduct size up. Size up includes asking, what is the situation? Have you identified all risks that may occur to the responder? Where could this situation go? Is the situation headed in a good or stable direction? Or is the situation headed in an unstable or unsafe direction? Next, what do I as a responder need to do to stop this situation and to return it to a more stable or safe environment? And finally, can I and my buddy safely respond without adding to any of the problem?
Remember your primary objective, you as the responder wish to be a part of the solution not a part of the problem. This is your choice. Be safe.
This lesson will review proper techniques, from placing the victim on the stretcher to removing them from a structure. As in all CERT Responses, communication among all team members is key to rescuer and victim safety. During this training video, the Head to Toe Assessment has already taken place. To promote training safety training dummy is being used. The first segment will focus on proper victim role technique. Our team leader is performing proper methodology with each team member to promote victim safety. A team member has been assigned to control the victim’s head during the role. The team leader has also assigned a team member to begin the process of securing the victim for proper role. Note how rescuers hands are interlaced around the victim to promote good patient safety. And a rescuer has held the victims head as a vice in order to control movement in the process. The rescuer at the head of the victim is in control at all times. Note the black line on this blanket this will be used as a visual to make sure enough blanket as been placed underneath the victim, so that the victim is centered within stretcher or blanket when the victim is lifted off the floor. Instruction is given by the team lead at the head of the victim and is rolled together, as one unit. Note the placement of this rescuers hand next to the line, this is an indicator that enough distance between the victim and the line on the blanket as been left as a visual indicator for centering the victim on the stretcher. All parts of the victim’s body must be under control of the rescuers in order to control safety of the rescuers and victim. At all the times the head of rescuer is supported. Commands are given and once again the victim is rolled over as one single unit. The blanket is removed from the other side of the victim with as little movement of the victim as possible. Then the process begins of rolling the victim into a rope in order to stabilize the victim and take advantage of the greatest strength of the blanket. Notice the placement of each rescuer; they are positioned immediately across from one another. As they lift they are lifting from their legs not their back. Good communication both, verbally and visually promotes safety. Once they have stood they lean forward against the victim in order to stabilize the victim and take the greatest advantage of their physical strength as they lift this victim. Commands were given as the team rotates the victim note at no time rescuers crossed their feet as they rotated. Small side wards steps were taken to maintain the balance of each rescuer and to promote support of the victim. Victims are extracted head first down hallways so that every rescuer is constantly in visual contact with the victim to ensure they are still breathing. Once rescuers reach doors victims are extracted feet first, with rescuers using their own bodies to open door ways. Watching carefully for the victim’s head, victims are rotated and extracted out. Commands are given and every team member and the victim is carefully lowered to the ground. Remember, rescuer safety promotes victim safety.