Eastern Michigan University

 

Department of Homeland Security          Teen CERT          Center for Regional and National Security

Citizen Corps

 

 

 

Miss Utah 2007 - Jill StevensHi! I’m Jill Stevens, Miss Utah 2007, I recently attended Eastern Michigan University’s TEEN CERT Train the Trainer in Provo, Utah.   What an incredible training! The last 3 days have been wonderful. This train the trainer fits right in with my platform, “Emergency Preparedness”. This train the trainer focuses on Teen Community Emergency Response Teams (TEEN CERT) and how to get this youth program started in High Schools. This program is empowering for youth and is so needed in our education system. I have learned so much. Its great how we can help each other out, as I am now going to help "spear-head" TEEN CERT nation wide! I am so excited. I truly believe in what this program can do in teaching our youth life saving skills for emergency situations, that can and may very well happen in our society.

 

For the past 6 years, Jill Stevens has been serving in the US Military as a Combat Medic in the Utah National Guard, while earning her degree in Nursing at Southern Utah University.  In November 2003, Jill was deployed to Afghanistan, returning home in April 2005.  She has earned 5 medals for her outstanding service, and was the first female finisher of the inaugural Afghanistan Marathon, making a total of 12 marathons she has completed together with earning the highest Fitness award during Army Basic Training.  In representing the Army National Guard, Sergeant Stevens recently addressed Generals from 40 different nations gathered at Hill Air Force Base.   Jill will be competing for Miss America in January 2008!


Teen Community Emergency Response Team PDF Print


ImageThe Center for Regional and National Security (CeRNS) at Eastern Michigan University initiated a grant funded pilot project from Michigan Citizen Corp to develop, validate and initiate an education program targeting high school students teaching Disaster Preparedness and Response.  The Teen Community Emergency Response Team (Teen CERT) Program educates students about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, Teen CERT members can assist others in their schools, neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. Teen CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

 

This 20 hour program focused on the following topics with hands on learning.

 

Topics include:

  • Disaster Preparedness
  • Fire Safety
  • Disaster Medical Assistance Part 1
  • Disaster Medical Assistance Part 2
  • Light Search and Rescue Operations
  • Disaster Psychology
  • Terrorism
  • Course Review and Disaster Simulation

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Milan High School (Michigan) Teen CERT members participating in a simulate bus accident.
The core Teen CERT program has three main goals. First, it will seek to provide students with a knowledge base on the effects of natural and man-made disasters and their emotional, social, and economic impacts. Secondly, it will aim to build decision-making and problem solving skills and strategies to help students make informed decisions regarding readiness, response & recovery and mitigation efforts to reduce loss of life and property. Lastly, an integral part of the Teen CERT program will be to provide students with hands-on training using reality-driven drills and exercises. 

 

Training in disaster response should not be a one-time event. Awareness, commitment, and skills must be reinforced through follow-up training and repeated practice to maintain the edge necessary for effective response in the face of a disaster. Tomaintain your skill level and continually improve performance, you and your classmates should participate in continuing supplemental training when offered in your area. Working through practice disaster scenarios with other citizens will provide opportunities not only for extended practice, but for valuable networking with citizens in the local area.

 

Teen CERT
Eastern Michigan University students Nora Gomez (left), Eboni Jenkins (right rear) and Tony Martin (right front), practice CPR on a dummy while getting instructions from CERT Trainer Nicole Miller (center).
The curriculum is not meant to replace those of previously established initiatives, rather it incorporates them in their entirety and focus on increasing knowledge and skill development in seven areas as they relate to disasters: 1) cognitive information, 2) recognizing hazards, 3) planning skills, 4) consequential thinking and risk taking, 5) team-building and communication skills, 6) decision making, 7) individual responsibilities within the community. Some of these lessons will focus on raising awareness in skill areas, while others emphasize their practical application.

 

Teen CERT works and should your school want to participate please contact us for further information.

 

Email:  This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Telephone:  734-487-2435

Fax:  734-487-7087

 

 

 

 
 

 

St. Peatersburg College National Terrorism Prepardness Institute. Live Response Broadcast

 

Click here to view a  60-minute television brodcast featuring Teen CERT.

The following link will take you to the St. Petersburg College National Terrorism Prepardness Institute.

   Live Response Broadcast  

 

 

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Funding for this program has been made possible by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security award #2005-GT-T5-K015.
TEEN CERT Train the Trainer is an approved DHS training course #188-1 Teen Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) . 
  For national CERT information, please visit the Citizen Corps website.