First Care - Until Help Arrives
To teach you the basic skills to keep people with potentially life‐threatening injuries alive until professional help arrives. Life-threatening emergencies can happen fast and emergency responders aren’t always nearby. You may be able to save a life by taking simple actions immediately.
Learn five simple steps that may save a life:
- Call 9-1-1
- Stay Safe
- Stop the Bleeding
- Position the Injured
- Provide Comfort
You Are the Help Until Help Arrives. Click on the links to view videos and learn more about how you can help:
The OPEN training provides an overview of the 10 preparedness actions and creates a path forward for organizations to develop their own disaster response plan.
OPEN includes both a web-based, self-guided training, and a downloadable instructor kit that will guide participants on how to identify risks, locate resources, and take preparedness actions. When Community-Based Organizations, such as food pantries, daycares, and non-profits, are unable to sustain operations during an emergency incident, individuals who rely on them are exponentially impacted. Because of their importance in keeping the community going, OPEN is designed to empower these organizations to better prepare for incidents.
To learn more about OPEN, check out this short Poster video that outlines 10 preparedness actions that your CBO can take to start preparing for an incident. Each action illustrated are high level key points to consider.
Community emergency response team (CERT) in action training
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the 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. CERT offers a consistent, nationwide approach to volunteer training and organization that professional responders can rely on during disaster situations, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.
CERT In Action
In CERT in Action, a fierce storm has struck the local community. CERT members activate in their neighborhood, set up an Incident Command Post, and assess damage throughout the area. They use their CERT skills to respond to damage and injured victims in the local community center, managing the situation until professional responders are able to arrive. This video provides a useful introduction to the CERT concept for new program participants and others who may be interested in the program. This video will also support the material presented in the CERT Basic Training course Unit 6: CERT Organization. CERT trainers will be able to use the video to start a dialogue about CERTs use of ICS and other critical features of successful team operations.