[nfb-talk] Emergency response training

[T. Joseph Carter]

I have signed up to take Portland’s NET (Neighborhood Emergency Team) 
training this fall.  It is Portland’s response to the national 
county-based CERT program.

Courses are divided up into eight weeks of training, the last of 
which is a 4 hour final exam.  I know that the final exam includes 
putting out fires, literally.  NET training is free (as is CERT), but 
about halfway through the program you have to supply your own 
responder kit, which is generally going to run between $50 and $200, 
unless you happen to have certain items already on hand.  

Here’s an overview of the NET training:

Session 1: Disaster Awareness—Earthquakes and Other Disasters; Home, 
Neighborhood and Workplace Preparedness

Session 2: Utility Control—Gas, Electric and Water; Fire 
Extinguishers—Types and Uses; Hazardous Materials

Session 3: Disaster Medicine (I); Treating Life-Threatening Injuries; 
Medical Triage

Session 4: Disaster Medicine (II); Treating Common Injuries; Setting 
Up a Medical Treatment Area; Public Health Considerations

Session 5: Light Search & Rescue (I); Visual Assessment of Damaged 
Buildings; Search Techniques

Session 6: Light Search & Rescue (II); Rescue Techniques; Patient 
Transport

Session 7: Disaster Psychology and Trauma Intervention; NET Team 
Management; NETs in Action—Tabletop Exercise

Session 8: NET Final Field Exercise (FFE), a four (4) hour hands-on 
practical skill drill which could be morning or afternoon.


Has anyone here ever taken training like this?  Am I blazing trails 
again?  Whether I am or not, I registered for this and the people who 
are doing the training do not yet know that I am blind.  What sort of 
objections am I likely to face, and how should I best address them?  
I know I can learn to do whatever I need to do.  I cannot say that it 
will be easy, but I am determined not to be the guy sitting around 
waiting for someone to help me if something bad happens, if you know 
what I mean.

Since the above class titles are not that descriptive in and of 
themselves of exactly what kind of things I would be expected to 
handle, I’ll describe a typical NET responder kit as being safety 
equipment (a reflective vest and hard hat, work gloves with leather 
palms, knee pads, safety googles, and a particle filter mask), 
flashlight, signal whistle, water/gas wrench, pry bar, utility cord, 
duct tape, and a first aid kit.  We’re expected to know how to use, 
but not carry a fire extinguisher.

A "Deluxe" kit adds a Leatherman Kick multitool, ear plugs, a more 
serious first aid kit, a roll of masking tape to go along with the 
duct tape, several large plastic bags, a permanent marker, a lumber 
crayon, water treatment tablets, glowsticks, rain poncho, solar 
blanket, and 8 hour glowsticks.

Construction site safety gear and tools aside, those who know me 
fairly well can tell you that I’ve got most of what’s left on my 
person wherever I go.  Boy scout motto and all of that.  Pfft, like I 
was ever a scout!  *grin*

Anyway, advice is welcome.  Comments about my tenuous grip on sanity 
will be ignored as redundant information!

Joseph