Week 4 of Emergency Preparedness
Learn Skills That Can Save A Life
Learn the Skills That Could Save a Life
This week’s focus is on one of the most important parts of emergency preparedness: knowing what to do when an emergency actually happens.
Over the past several weeks, we have covered building a Go Bag, creating a family emergency plan, and making your home safer. Those steps are important, but supplies and plans only go so far. In a major disaster, there may be a period of time when professional responders are delayed or dealing with many emergencies at once.
That is why learning basic emergency response skills can make such a difference.
The first few minutes after an emergency can be critical.
Knowing how to respond calmly and safely can help reduce injuries, prevent a situation from getting worse, and give you the confidence to help a family member or neighbor until professional assistance arrives.
The goal is not to turn residents into first responders. The goal is to make sure more people know the basics and understand how to help without putting themselves in unnecessary danger.
One of the most important preparedness principles is simple:
Your safety comes first. Do not become another victim.
Before helping someone else, always look for hazards such as fire, unstable structures, damaged electrical equipment, leaking gas, traffic, or debris.
Learn CPR and AED Use
CPR and automated external defibrillators can be lifesaving tools during a cardiac emergency.
Taking a CPR course can teach you how to recognize when someone may need help, how to provide chest compressions, and how to use an AED when one is available.
These are practical skills that can be useful anywhere — at home, at work, at a community event, or while out in public.
Learn Basic First Aid
Basic first aid training can help residents handle common injuries until medical care is available.
That can include learning how to:
Treat minor cuts and wounds
Respond to burns
Recognize signs of shock
Protect an injured person from further harm
Know when to call 911
Even a basic understanding of first aid can make an emergency situation less confusing.
Learn How to Control Serious Bleeding
Severe bleeding can become life-threatening quickly.
Learning how to apply direct pressure, use dressings properly, and recognize when bleeding requires immediate emergency care is an especially valuable skill.
Programs such as bleeding-control training can provide hands-on instruction and help residents become more comfortable responding in a real emergency.
Know How to Use a Fire Extinguisher
A fire extinguisher is only useful if you know how to use it.
A simple way to remember the basic steps is PASS:
Pull the pin
Aim at the base of the fire
Squeeze the handle
Sweep from side to side
Just as important, know when not to fight a fire.
If the fire is spreading, smoke conditions are dangerous, or you do not have a safe way out, evacuate and call 911.
Learn Basic Search-and-Rescue Principles
Search and rescue does not mean entering dangerous or unstable buildings.
Basic training teaches people how to first assess hazards, work safely with others, communicate clearly, and avoid creating additional victims.
That kind of training is especially important following earthquakes or other disasters that may damage buildings and infrastructure.
Consider CERT Training
One of the best ways to build practical emergency-response skills is through the Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, program.
CERT training helps residents learn how to safely support their families, neighborhoods, and community during emergencies.
Training can include topics such as:
Disaster preparedness
Fire safety
Basic disaster medical operations
Light search and rescue
Team organization
Emergency communications
How volunteers support an organized emergency response
CERT is about helping residents become more prepared, more capable, and better organized before a disaster occurs.
This Week’s Preparedness Challenge
For the final week of this series, I encourage every resident to choose one emergency skill you do not currently know and take the first step toward learning it.
That might mean:
Signing up for a CPR or first aid class
Learning how to properly use your fire extinguisher
Reviewing basic bleeding-control techniques
Refreshing your first aid kit
Participating in CERT training
Talking with neighbors about who may need extra help during an emergency
You do not have to learn everything at once.
The important thing is to keep building your knowledge and preparedness one step at a time.
Prepared Residents Build a Stronger Upland
The purpose of preparedness is not to create fear. It is to give people the tools, knowledge, and confidence to respond when something unexpected happens.
When residents have emergency supplies, family plans, safer homes, and basic emergency skills, our entire community is better positioned to respond and recover.
Prepared today. Stronger tomorrow.
Be informed. Plan ahead. Take action.
Disclaimer: The Upland Update is an independent community resource and is not affiliated with the City of Upland. This is my personal initiative to keep residents and businesses informed about key issues, city developments, and community events that impact our daily lives. My goal is to ensure you have clear, transparent, and timely information to stay engaged and involved in shaping Upland’s future.
James Breitling
(909) 342-2523
info@theuplandupdate.com
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