Monthly Meeting 5

What to bring when activated

June 25, 2025

Overall tips

• Label everything with your name (use a sharpie) - everyone has identical gear and it will get mixed up otherwise !

• Mark: "Bring the stuff so you don’t become the person who asks others for stuff”

Links from Lynn

• CERT Green Bag Supplies.pdf

• CERT Triage

• CERT Start

• CERT Skills Training - Head to Toe Assessment (LAFD)

Basics

• your CERT backpack

• and/or chest pack or sling or fanny pack to have some gear in front of you (does not require taking off backpack to get to)

• your CERT badge

• FOG (CERT Field Operating Guide)

• Hard hat - recommend writing your name big on white gaffer tape on the helmet

• Head lamp - recommend wrapping around helmet, ready for use (check batteries)

• Water bottle

• Sharpies or (even better) Inkzall pens to mark all kinds of things

• Multitool, can put on belt

  • basic, but very functional one or fancier or classic Leatherman Wave or many other options

• Handy: non snagging carabiners on backpack to attach various things

• marking crayons (for house to house SAR X markings etc.)

Safety Equipment (PPE)

• Proper shoes - don’t get punctures, toes smashed

• Issued protective eyewear should cover eyes side (dust !)

• N95 + Dust mask

• Long sleeve flannel shirt - when it gets cold

• Dickies pants (sturdy)

• Good working gloves (make sure they fit)

• Vest: velcro unreliable, sewed the two pieces together

• optional cool beanie bright orange w LED built in 😜

• waterproof pants & jackets (small, stuffable)

Medical Gear

• Non latex (nitrile, vinyl) gloves in your size (have a couple quick-accessible)

• big ziploc bag:

  • 6 gauze pads 4x4

  • 2 triangular bandages

  • 2 roller bandages

  • 2 emergency (mylar) blankets

  • 2 Stop The Bleed packet

  • 2 tourniquets (quick accessible, seconds count)

Search and Rescue

• Non sparking gas & water wrench

• large roll of caution tape

• white gaffer tape (comes off easy, use for labeling - including victims ! - label with sharpie)

• lumber/wax crayon

Personalize as needed

• hairclip

• sunscreen

• toothbrush/paste

• any medications you may need in case you are gone for a long ship

• pealess (without ball) emergency whistle

• glowsticks to throw into dark room to illuminate temporarily

• waterproof paper pad and pen (“Rite in the rain”)

• duct tape to mark buildings with X

• pens and markers

• glucose packs for yourself or diabetics

• toilet paper

• zip ties

• plastic clipboard w storage

• large ziploc bags (generally handy)

Electronics

• your CERT radio

• extra battery pack

• 5 additional AA batteries for radio

• external microphone can be handy during bad weather (waterproof, and you can keep radio in backpack)

• charging cable & power block for phone

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