Skill Review | West Orange County CERT (Community Emergency Response Team for Western Orange County California)

Skill Review: Disaster Psychology (for You & Others)

West Orange County CERT - Skill Review: Disaster Psychology — **Skill Review: Disaster Psychology**

We never know when a disaster will occur or even what it will look or feel like to us or the people around us. At times this can make us feel powerless and out of control.

Knowing what is “normal” and understanding how you and your family may feel before, during and after a disaster can help you and them get back to “normal” again, whatever that is for you.

Here’s a good disaster psychology video to remind you about some of the tools you have at your disposal.

Disaster Psychology Review

Our West Orange County CERT program teaches and reviews skills like this during our bi-monthly training sessions (complete with a great pot-luck and fellowship), our periodic training Saturdays, and our CERT Academy courses. If you would like to find out more about our CERT program and how it can help you keep your family safe in a disaster, please contact us here. If you are not in our area, we will try to connect you to your local CERT program. The more people who are trained, the better prepared our country is – and that is our intent. #CERTforAll

Skill Review: The Recovery Position

The recovery position is one of the corner stones of first aid and refers to positioning the body of an unconscious person into a three-quarters prone position to help keep their airway open.

An unconscious person may not be able to maintain an open airway like a conscious person does. This can lead to an obstruction of the airway, restricting the flow of air and preventing gaseous exchange, which then causes hypoxia, which is life-threatening. Thousands of fatalities occur every year in casualties where the cause of unconsciousness was not fatal, but where airway obstruction caused the patient to suffocate

The recovery position is designed to prevent suffocation through obstruction of the airway, which can occur in unconscious persons lying on their back. By placing the person in the recovery position, gravity can assistance to prevent obstruction of the airway by the tongue, and also gives a clear route by which fluid can drain from the airway.

Here is a good training video for learning how to do the Recovery Position:

Skill Review: Rescue Cribbing Refresher – Safety First

West Orange County CERT - Skill Review: Rescue Cribbing — **Skill Review: Rescue Cribbing**

This is the safest way to do rescue cribbing and reduces the likely hood of injury to the cribbing team while providing the very result for the victim. Thanks to the Burbank CA CERT program for providing the video.

Rescue Cribbing – Safety First

Remember as CERT members we are not to enter buildings that are unsafe or pose a threat to us. Only enter structures you have been instructed to enter after they have been cleared by emergency personnel