Through Friday, November 8 to Sunday, November 10, students interested in emergency preparedness and disaster training had the opportunity to participate in a three-day workshop held by Los Altos’ Teen CERT program. This workshop taught attendees safety skills and disaster preparation through a series of simulated scenarios.
Attendees were taught different units over the course of three days, ranging from patient diagnosis to responding to terrorism.
The units, chosen to educate attendees on response measures, turned out to be especially relevant for some students.
“My school received a threatening email the morning of the workshop, which caused widespread panic and early dismissal,” Monta Vista High School junior Raymond Feng said. “The terrorism unit helped me understand what to do in a high-risk situation with stories and practical strategies.”
With the assistance of the City of Los Altos, the workshop simulated situations where attendees would utilize the skills learned in each unit. These situations included applying tourniquets to stop major bleeding, practicing using a fire extinguisher, using radios to communicate, and performing a search and rescue.
“We get in teams and go into a damaged building to look for injured people,” Los Altos High School sophomore Micah Ng said. “The pressure came from making sure we get there and triage them properly before they die from their injuries.”
By focusing on hands-on training, organizers were able to successfully help attendees develop confidence for a real emergency situation.
“I think it’s really important for people to have experience and practice,” Teen CERT co-chair senior Alice Akutsu said. “It can definitely help in a real-life situation.”
Teen CERT holds their emergency preparedness workshop every year, in an effort to prepare the community in case of an emergency. If interested in joining and helping with Teen CERT, you can find them at their website, Teen CERT – Signing Up, or attend a club meeting on Thursdays at lunch in Room 714.
“I think this workshop gives you great first-hand experience and prepares you for any real-life emergencies,” Micah said. “Everyone should definitely have this experience.”
