This year, Globe High School, through its Army JROTC Department, offered a special program that all the freshmen this year was able to participate in. The class is called Teen CERT. The Teen CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program educates students about disaster preparedness for hazards that can impact our area and trains them in basic disaster response skills. Using the "Scientific Method” to solve problems and using hands-on training, Teen CERT members are prepared to help themselves, their families and their school during a major disaster when professional responders are delayed or not readily available. Teen CERT empowers students with decision-making and problem-solving skills and strategies to help them make informed decisions regarding prevention-mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery strategies to reduce loss of life and property. Students learn the significance of working as a team to improve safety and increase their effectiveness when responding to disasters. Critical skills learned include:

Extinguish small fires;

Conduct light search and rescue;

Assist those who are injured;

Set up medical treatment areas;

Assist emergency responders;

Identify and anticipate hazards;

Reduce fire hazards in the home and workplace; and,

Help reduce survivor stress.

What made this program so successful this year was the fantastic support Globe High School received from both the Globe Fire Department and the Tri-City Fire Department. Fire Chief Gary Robinson from Globe FD spent on average 60 hours this year volunteering his time to teach our students about fire safety and basic medical operations. Having a subject matter expert like Chief Robinson made this training relevant and interesting to our students. Also from Globe FD we were honored to have CAPT Kendall Cormack who assisted the class during actual CERT drills. CAPT Cormack provided guidance and assistance to students as they conducted their drills on search and rescue, triage and medical operations. Also from Globe FD, Captain Joe Bracamonte provided a presentation and demonstration on K9 operations on how the Fire Department can determine how a fire was started. Finally, I would like thank Fire Fighter Greg Zupancic from Tri-City FD for providing the fire extinguisher simulator to allow our students to actually put out a small fire giving them to confidence should they need to use an extinguisher and use it correctly. The CERT program will continue to develop and grow and it is my opinion that having our Fire Departments involved makes it that much more special. Thank you.

Major (Ret) Sal Fiorella

Senior Army Instructor

Globe H.S., J.R.O.T.C.