CERT Skills and Procedures

CERT Skills and Protocols

Definition of CERT Skills

  • CERT stands for Community Emergency Response Team.
  • These are essential skills for dealing with emergency situations effectively and safely.

Salt Triage

  • Salt triage is a method used to assess and prioritize victims in mass casualty incidents based on the severity of their injuries.
  • The goal is to allocate medical resources efficiently and ensure that those who need urgent care receive it first.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  • Donning PPE: The first step before engaging in any emergency response should be to don personal protective equipment to ensure safety from potential hazards.
    • PPE may include gloves, masks, goggles, gowns, etc.
    • Properly fitting PPE is crucial to provide the necessary protection.

Scene Assessment via CERT Size Up

  • Surveying the Scene:
    • Conduct a thorough assessment of the environment to identify potential hazards (e.g., fire, chemicals, structural damage).
    • The aim is to determine the safety for responders and victims before administering care.
  • Size Up:
    • Evaluating the number of victims, severity of injuries, and overall scene stability.
    • Utilize a systematic approach to collect and analyze information.

Instructions for Victims

  • Safe Area for Gathering:
    • Communicate to everyone who can hear the instructions to move to a designated safe area to avoid further danger.
    • The command should be clear: "Anyone who can move an arm or a leg, we will be there in a minute."
  • Prioritizing Victims:
    • Victims should be triaged according to their ability to move. Move to the first priority individuals first, focusing on those with visible distress or severe injury.

Patient Assessment

  • Check for Vital Signs:
    • Look for signs of peripheral pulse and assess normal breathing.
    • Identify any occurrences of hemorrhage, as this requires immediate attention.
  • Muscle Movement Command:
    • Issue commands to assess the responsiveness of the victims, instructing them to perform limb movements as a gauge of capability.

Communication Techniques

  • Nonverbal and Verbal Communication:
    • Engage with patients using both verbal instructions and nonverbal cues to ensure understanding and compliance.
    • Nonverbal communication can include gestures or visual aids, crucial in scenarios where verbal communication may be hampered.

Proper Disposal of PPE

  • Removing Gloves:
    • It is essential to follow correct procedures to take off gloves to prevent contamination.
    • Ensure that the gloves are turned inside out during removal to encapsulate any pathogens.
    • Dispose of PPE according to local health and safety regulations, ensuring that it does not pose a risk to others.