Mira Mesa CERT Newsletter

Good morning, here is the News:

Street Fair—Thanks to all who came out for this.  Not a single no-show despite the heat, and everyone was right on time.  We've got a great crew here.  Special thanks for Jennifer for putting on the wound care demonstration.

Team Meeting—In October the tenth falls on a Wednesday.  We've got the Senior Center scheduled, but I'm pretty sure I promised several people we'd visit our rally point, so this might be the one.  More on this as soon as I've completely gotten over Street Fair.

Hose Loading—I attended the first session last Sunday (I know, right after Street Fair, sanity does not run in my family).  It was awesome.  Very well organized by Ben Vernon, who put a lot of personal equity into getting the equipment for this.  By "equipment", I mean three Fire Academy engines, one for each of the kinds of hoses we needed to learn about, so we rotated in three groups.  Near and dear to my heart was the fact that EVERYONE got hands-on with each of the hoses; you didn't watch, you packed hose.  Yes, there was indeed some physical activity, but our Firefighters have developed techniques for handling the hose that are real back-savers.  If you listen to them and do it their way, you'll be fine.  I actually thought the most difficult part was getting back out of the hose bed by climbing down the steps they have installed.  These steps are installed where it is possible to put them, not where it makes sense ergonomically. Watch out for them, and try to watch how the Firefighters do it before you try it.  What made this class really great was the amount of detail presented in little sidebar talks, where they told us how things really got done.

If you weren't there, PLEASE try to make the session on the 30th.  It will be a crime if we don't fill every slot, and I'm very much afraid that we will be needed in this capacity sometime this Fall.

Here is the detail:

Date/Time: Sunday, 30 September, 10-12noon (not really, it takes at least 2 1/2 hours, plan accordingly).

Location: NTC  You meet briefly in 89B, then right out to the engines.

Sign up here:

https://apps.sandiego.gov/ereg/cert/courses.php?grp=Continuing+Education+Opportunities

Best learning experience you have had in a long time, trust me, and it's good for Continuing Education.  If you have any questions about the class, especially the physical activity, drop me a note.  Can you tell I'm cranked up about this?  Git in there!

All for this week, question, comments, you know how to find me.

-Steve

Mira Mesa CERT Newsletter Sept 11th

Good morning, here is the News:

Street Fair—We've still got some slots open, particularly in the afternoon, but if morning is what you have, and you are available, please drop me a note.  It is going to be HOT, predicted temperature 93 degrees, so good sun protection is a must, including a hat, hopefully something more than a baseball cap.  That said, if you plan to do the cribbing drill with us, sandals are not an option for you, and all things considered it would be best if you wore solid shoes anyway  if not your boots.    If you think you are working at the Fair, and you DID NOT get a note from me yesterday assigning you a time slot, let me know now.  Here is the detail on the event  again:

Mira Mesa Street Fair

Date: 15 September 2012

Time: 10am—5pm

Location: Camino Ruiz between Mira Mesa Blvd. and New Salem

We are usually very close to New Salem on the East side of the Street.  We've got some skills practice scheduled in wound care and rescue cribbing.  We'll be showing the Public how to load a patient in a litter, and how to properly size and wear a dust mask.  We will also be working with the Mira Mesa High School Air Force ROTC, a great group of highly motivated young people.  See you there!

It's Hot Out—I was going to include this in the Fair instructions, then I thought it might be better to share with the whole Team.  With this kind of heat, we all want to be on the lookout for signs of heat-related illness in others.  The Street Fair is a great example, where we will interact with a lot of people who paid no attention at all to the forecast and did not prepare adequately.  The following information is excerpted from articles by the great folks at Mayo Clinic, who put a LOT of good stuff online, and I highly recommend their website as an information source.

In general, heat related illnesses are categorized as either heat exhaustion or heat stroke.  Heat exhaustion  can become heat stroke, heat stroke is the more severe of the two.  Here is a rundown of symptoms:

Heat Exhaustion

·         Faintness or dizziness

·         Nausea

·         Heavy sweating

·         Rapid, weak heartbeat

·         Low blood pressure

·         Cool, moist pale skin

·         Low-grade fever

·         Heat cramps

·         Headache

·         Fatigue

Heat Stroke

·         Rapid heartbeat

·         Rapid, shallow breathing

·         Elevated or lowered blood pressure

·         Cessation of sweating

·         Irritability, confusion or unconsciousness

·         Feeling dizzy or lightheaded

·         Headache

·         Nausea

·         Fainting

OK, let's give this the CERT reality check.  We won't know anything about their blood pressure, might not be able to get a pulse, and in that heat, we all look and feel like we've got a fever.  So I'll be looking for dizziness, nausea, cramps, headache and fatigue.  In addition, heavy sweating and cool, moist pale skin indicates exhaustion, whereas a lack or cessation of sweating indicates a move to the more serious stroke.  Heat stroke is also indicated by an elevation in body temperature that should be noticeable even when the Patient is in the shade.

WHAT TO DO, get them out of the sun, at Street Fair use our classroom, even if we're having a class in there (Jen and I won't mind, trust me).  Cool them down, and I mean COOL, don't freeze them.  Give them cool water to drink if they can consume it, loosen tight clothing, apply cool cloths and fan them with something to get the air around them moving.  Get them to lay down if you can, and elevate the feet.

If your patient does not respond immediately, or you even suspect you might be dealing with heat stroke, call 911.  Better to pull the pin on this early, don't make the Guys start the race from way far back.

I look at everybody who doesn't have a hat on when it is this hot.  Children can be susceptible also.  Oh, and pay attention to yourself for these signs, they sneak up slowly.  Get in the shade and cool down.

Occasional Rant—It really doesn't seem like 11 years, although some of the memories have faded.  When the radio voice first mentioned that it looked like a plane had hit the World Trade Center, I told my Wife "I hope it's a small one", tops on the list of stupidest things I've ever said.  I'm still angry about it after this many years, and I still want justice, but I remember vengeance and justice are two different things, and a person's faith does not describe his/her politics.  In CERT we fight this battle every day, preparing against an enemy brought by Nature or our fellow humans.  Today is a good day to remember that what we are doing is serious, and has a greater purpose.  I am proud to serve with you.

-Steve