Welcome to Community Emergency Response Team Training Refresher.
Today, we are going to practice moving a victim up and down a set of stairs with a team. But before we do any activity, let’s talk safety. Before considering any CERT response, three issues must be determined. 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 serve response. Never respond alone, always respond using a buddy system. Evaluate your equipment. No CERT response should be attempted unless all CERT responders are wearing safety equipment. Good footwear, with thick soles and if possible a toe cap. A safety vest, with highly visible reflective tape. Protect your hands, no CERT respond should occur unless both hands are pairs of gloves are being worn. Surgical gloves to protect the responder and heavy work gloves to protect the surgical gloves. Wear a dusk mask to prevent dust 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 getting them 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 importantly do not forget to turn on your CERT brain. As you learned in class, and the end of every CERT responder, 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 part of the solution not a part of the problem. This is your choice. Be safe.
Skills:
We will review the skills necessary to move a victim up and down a set of stairs. This skill can be dangerous to both, rescuers and victims. It requires communication and concentration among all team members. We will begin this process by reviewing familiar cadence, set my team members. Each team member moves onto the staircase. Use voice command followed up by is critical for safe operation. Foot placement is critical, let the riser of the stair trek be your guide when moving up instead of stairs. Utilizing this method assures you have plenty of room for both feet on each step. One team member moves at a time, as the entire team moves up the stairs. When coming down stairs, point those toes, this assures you have room on the stair trek for both feet. Again, good communication among all team members. When all members have approached the landing, communicate this with the team leader. Again staggered approach provides enough room
for both rescuer and victim and an improved safety for the entire team. Now, lets put those skills to practice. Our team has secured our victim, performed head to toe assessment and placed them on a stretcher. Due to tight quarters in this training scenario, our victim has to be moved through the doorway headfirst. However, if at all possible, always move victim’s feet first through doorways. Good methodology says take time to prepare moving victims upstairs is strenuous and a dangerous operation. The cadence has been set and the team is moving one trek at a time. If necessary, pause. That will allow your team members to rest. Notice how stable and flat our victim is when being moved up and down a set of stairs? When preparing to move down a set of stairs, the rescuer who boot is firmest on the ground becomes the team leader. Again, point toes when moving down the stairs.