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4 <br />Purpose <br />The purpose of the Orange County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) <br />program is to train citizens to the minimum level of emergency preparedness and response <br />necessary to ensure the safety of themselves, their family, their co-workers, and their neighbors <br />in times of disaster. The goal is to reduce the reliance on professional emergency services within <br />the county during the initial stages of a disaster so that emergency resources can be allocated in <br />the most efficient manner possible. A simultaneous goal is to improve the capabilities of the <br />citizens to act safely and appropriately in completing the emergency tasks that citizens have <br />historically attempted spontaneously, such as sheltering neighbors, providing first aid, seazching <br />for those lost, etc. This concept will reinforce the emergency preparedness position of self- <br />reliance that Orange County Emergency Management has maintained for many yeazs. <br />Orange County has experienced multiple disasters in the past ten yeazs, including <br />tornados, hurricanes, winter storms, and flooding. After Action Reports from these disasters have <br />identified multiple needs concerning citizen prepazedness. Examples include: encouraging the <br />public to have a three day disaster supply kit, communicating disaster information in the non- <br />English speaking communities, and training to be more self-sufficient in a post disaster <br />environment. All of these needs could be feasibly addressed through the CERT program. <br />The CERT training will provide the citizens training in first aid, basic rescue, limited <br />firefighting activities, animal caze and control, and crime prevention techniques. First aid <br />training will allow the citizens to properly care for themselves and others until such time EMS <br />can arrive. Limited firefighting activities will teach the citizens how and when to properly use a <br />fire extinguisher. Animal caze and control training will educate citizens on properly care during <br />4 <br />