Brooktrails CERT

FULL CERT TRAINING ACADEMY Starts Feb 13 2010
Click HERE for Flyer
Click HERE for daily class schedule description

FULL CERT TRAINING ACADEMY Starts Feb 13 2010

Click HERE for Flyer

Click HERE for daily class schedule description

WHERE DID THAT 5 YEAR OLD BOY GO?

The Brooktrails CERT was activated late Saturday afternoon, April 18, to help look for him. They joined members of Cal Fire, Brooktrails Fire, Little Lake Fire, Mendocino deputy Sheriffs, Mendocino Search and Rescue (SAR) and helpful friends. The youngster had been missing for about two hours when the volunteers were organized by the SAR Incident Commander to form a long "skirmish line" into the densely wooded steep hilside to make a sweep around the boys home. A CalStar helicopter arrived to provide initial aerial surveillance until the SAR helicopter- Red Raven- arrived to assume that duty. Fortunately it didn't take more than about 20 minutes ( and 10,00 mountain-goat steps!?) to locate the boy, safe and sound. He was joyously reunited with his anxious Mother. The rugged terrain took its' toll on one tired searcher who was evacuated to receive medical care and was pronounced "good to go" after a checkup.

BROOKTRAILS CERT now has the assignment to provide the wiring, shelving and other features needed to handle the storage of items required for providing support to the BROOKTRAILS community during an emergency. The Fire Department received this 40 foot long container thru the Mendocino Sheriff's Dept. It is located at Ellis Field.

We are now ready to receive donations of money to purchase needed supplies for a comprehensive support operation. As of April 1, 2009, we have already received donations of folding chairs, tables, shelving and an operations desk.

All donors of cash or items to this project will receive a tax deduction receipt from our Fire Department.

Our new gas generator rated at 3000/3500 watts.

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
The CERT program educates people 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, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

About CERT

Following a major disaster, first responders who provide fire and medical services will not be able to meet the demand for these services. Factors as number of victims, communication failures, and road blockages will prevent people from accessing emergency services they have come to expect at a moment's notice through 911. People will have to rely on each other for help in order to meet their immediate life saving and life sustaining needs.

Brooktrails CERT activation on June 21, 2008 One of the several hundred lightning strikes around the North Coast area Saturday morning ignited a fire near Brooktrails. This was west of the intersection of Ridge and Goose Roads. Several reports of the fire came in to the Brooktrails Fire Department (BTFD) from residents beginning about 10:30 am. This fire posed a potential significant danger to the Brooktrails community. Chief Daryl Schoeppner dispatched Battalion Chief Robert Nowlin along with a crew of eight firefighters to the scene. The situation found was that a small fire was in progress approximately one-third of a mile down hill from Brooktrails homes. The weather at the time was somewhat favorable as the temperature was at 76 degrees, and the relative humidity had risen to 40 % due to intermittent sprinkles and some hail in the area. A very light breeze came from the West. An attack on the fire was commenced by the crew. Support from Cal-Fire was impacted by many requests for ground crews and air drops of fire retardant coming from all over Northern California. An urgent request from BTFD for air drops were successful in getting a total of six loads applied to the fire zone. Additional ground fire crews were summoned from outside the local area. At approximately 11:00 am, Chief Schoeppner activated the Brooktrails CERT volunteers to perform support duties. Six members were available to respond. Their first activity was to relieve BTFD personnel of traffic control duties. Later, several units of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Dept arrived to take over the traffic control function. CERT members were then assigned the duty of going door-to-door advising residents along Ridge Rd. immediately South of Goose Rd. to prepare for evacuation with family, pets and important possessions. Most families were already well along with preparations to leave. One family was identified as needing assistance to leave, and a Sheriff's Deputy was on standby to effect their transport to safety when needed. Sheriff Tom Allman stopped by to confirm that adequate support was being provided by his deputies at the scene. Brooktrails Water Department staff also stopped by to confirm that water supply was being maintained at the fire hydrants serving the scene. Two transport vehicles with Cal-Fire ground crews arrived from the Washington Ridge facility (Central Valley area) at 1:20pm. These crews quickly finished getting into their protective gear and set off down the trail to the fire line carrying chainsaws and hand fire tools to relieve the BTFD firefighters from fire duty. Cal Fire then assumed command of the fire zone. At this point the fire was considered fully contained, but not snuffed out, and the evacuation order was canceled. BTFD members cleaned their equipment and stored it on their engines. Approximately 1400 feet of water hose was left in place for use in the mop-up operations by the Cal Fire crews. The BTFD and CERT members returned to the Fire Station for a post operations critique and lunch.

Brooktrails CERT members directed traffic, knocked on doors advising imminent evacuation, and performed minor first aid.	Three units of the Brooktrails Fire Department responded with eight firefighters and engaged the fire.

Two units of Cal Fire ground crews arrived to put final extinguishing touches to the contained fire.	The fire site was only 1400 feet down this steep slope from the homes on Ridge Rd.

BROOKTRAILS CERT ACTIVATION

On Friday, January 4 2008, the Brooktrails Fire Chief Daryl Schoeppner activated the Brooktrails CERT group to perform support operations for the Fire Department.

Seven members of the CERT group responded to the Fire Station beginning at 8:30 am. The Chief briefed the group on the damage caused by the rain and high winds in Brooktrails. The storm had caused a large tree to fall onto Peacock Drive, taking the adjacent power line with it. Fire Captain Jon Noyer and other firefighters were already at the scene re-routing traffic around the blocked street. The Chief assigned the traffic control task to the CERT Team, thus releasing the Fire Dept personnel to respond to other storm related incidents.

The CERT Duty Captain assigned one member to open the Brooktrails Ham Radio Emergency Net on frequency 146.580, in simplex mode. Two other members were dispatched to the site of the downed power line with instructions to direct commuter traffic around the problem street, one stationed at the North side, and the other at the South side. Radio communication was maintained during the day between the site and the Fire Station.

As the day progressed with no PG&E crew available to clear the power line, the CERT members were periodically rotated to and from the barricade sites so everyone had a chance to rest and eat lunch. Members also took turns at Radio net control and Duty Captain roles. No other support operations developed during the day.

PG&E crews were very busy throughout the Willits vicinity restoring power on a priority basis. A crew arrived at the Peacock Drive location at 4:05 pm to remove the downed line and thus permit the Brooktrails Fire Dept. personnel to access the site, saw up the tree and clear the roadway. The CERT members were relieved from duty at the Peacock Drive site and returned to the Fire Station.

The CERT team was debriefed and released from duty by the Fire Chief at 4:30 pm.

CERT members staffed barricades on both sides of the downed power line and directed traffic around the site.

2007 Christmas Pot Luck dinner and member recognition.

Linda Morrison introduced guests Tim Hanna, Captain Jon Noyer, Sherry Schoeppner, and Chief Daryl Schoeppner

Attendance Certificates for 2007 were presented by Chief D. Schoeppner
Pictured L-R in back row - Chief Schoeppner, Gerry Durbin, Art Dawson, Carole Dawson, Ann Maxwell, Linda Morrison, Robert Terry and George Burton. Front row- Marge Arnold, Annie Hinchey, Janet Rayner and Dean Durbin.
Not pictured - Forrest Clark, George Hanamoto, Chuck Harden, Richard Hinchey, Ruth Hubbell, Betty Lemmer, John Lemmer and Tara Shannon

Marconi-Bell award was given to George Burton

CERT cape and helmet award given to Robert Terry

BROOKTRAILS CERT ACTIVATION On Friday, January 4 2008, the Brooktrails Fire Chief Daryl Schoeppner activated the Brooktrails CERT group to perform support operations for the Fire Department. Seven members of the CERT group responded to the Fire Station beginning at 8:30 am. The Chief briefed the group on the damage caused by the rain and high winds in Brooktrails. The storm had caused a large tree to fall onto Peacock Drive, taking the adjacent power line with it. Fire Captain Jon Noyer and other firefighters were already at the scene re-routing traffic around the blocked street. The Chief assigned the traffic control task to the CERT Team, thus releasing the Fire Dept personnel to respond to other storm related incidents. The CERT Duty Captain assigned one member to open the Brooktrails Ham Radio Emergency Net on frequency 146.580, in simplex mode. Two other members were dispatched to the site of the downed power line with instructions to direct commuter traffic around the problem street, one stationed at the North side, and the other at the South side. Radio communication was maintained during the day between the site and the Fire Station. As the day progressed with no PG&E crew available to clear the power line, the CERT members were periodically rotated to and from the barricade sites so everyone had a chance to rest and eat lunch. Members also took turns at Radio net control and Duty Captain roles. No other support operations developed during the day. PG&E crews were very busy throughout the Willits vicinity restoring power on a priority basis. A crew arrived at the Peacock Drive location at 4:05 pm to remove the downed line and thus permit the Brooktrails Fire Dept. personnel to access the site, saw up the tree and clear the roadway. The CERT members were relieved from duty at the Peacock Drive site and returned to the Fire Station. The CERT team was debriefed and released from duty by the Fire Chief at 4:30 pm.

CERT members staffed barricades on both sides of the downed power line and directed traffic around the site.