Training

Congratulations to the CERT class of 2015!

Last night the Land Trust building was packed with this year's CERT (Community Emergency Response Organization) students, and with CERT alumni ready to celebrate and welcome the twenty-six graduates of the CERT class of 2015. This class is news for a number of reasons. It's the first class that was managed by Jan Milligan, who is putting her energetic spin on this revered program. This class features some younger participants, which Vashon's rather gray-haired preparedness community sorely needs. And this class is notable for the already-deep skills and extensive engagement of a number of the students.

Weather Spotter Training - Apr 26

Ted Buehner, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service has announced a new Weather Spotter Training opportunity for the evening of April 26th. 

Basic Animal Emergency Services Training (BAEST) March 17th Class Deadline is this Friday

Basic Animal Emergency Services Training (BAEST), taught by the American Humane Association, costs $180 per person though CERT Volunteers who register through Catherine Cochrane can get in free! Registration is on a first come, first served basis. The registration deadline is this Friday, March 2nd. Click graphic to the right for details.

Vashon Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Training Starts March 16th

Amateur Radio (Ham) License testing session on Vashon

Vashon Maury Island Radio Club announces an Amateur Radio (Ham) License testing session will be held on Vashon Island around the middle of March. Test costs about $14. Take advantage of these Technician, General, and Extra levels tests given on island.

Introductory HAZUS Webinars Available

Hazus is a nationally applicable standardized methodology that contains models for estimating potential losses from earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. Hazus uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to estimate physical, economic, and social impacts of disasters.

Draft “Task Books” for Key Incident Command System Positions Available for Comment

It appears that the ICS Task Books that help evaluators judge ICS performance (2007 versions are online at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/ICSResource/PositionChecklists.htm) have been newly revised in April 2011, and are now published as a draft docket currently undergoing a comment period as detailed in the October 4th Federal Register. These may be revisions of the original 1993 Wildland Fire evaluation forms that are still on the Department of Labor’s OSHA site.

Business NERO Jumps into Action

Over the last year Debi Richards, the Vashon Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Director has been thinking about how to encourage businesses to get better prepared.

Preparedness Video Clips

Are You Ready?-- An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness

Snohomish County’s Largest Disaster Drill Wednesday

Hundreds of people and a score of emergency agencies will participate in Snohomish County’s largest disaster drill ever. "Shake, Rattle and Roll 2011" will be held Wednesday at Arlington's municipal airport. The scenario is a 7.5 magnitude earthquake along the South Whidbey Fault, which runs through Snohomish County.

Free Red Cross Mass Care & Disaster Action Team Training on Vashon

The Seattle Red Cross will conduct a free two-day Volunteer training on Saturday June 4, and Saturday June 11, 2011, from 9:00am-6:00pm. (Both days are obligatory.) The training will be held at Vashon Island Fire & Rescue, 10020 Southwest Bank Road.

Public Invited to Learn about Disaster Training Opportunities

Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 11 AM PST

FEMA to Update National Incident Management System Training Plan

The Five-Year NIMS Training Plan, originally released February 2008 is being revised. The comment period for the new National Incident Management System Training Plan ended February 22, several hundred comments have been adjudicated, and just last week the document was transmitted up to FEMA Deputy Administrator Manning, according to the Emergency Management Institute. Final release is likely just weeks away - without new obstacles. Access the The NIMS Training Plan (Draft) at www.regulations.gov, Docket # FEMA-2009-0012.

Seattle to start up CERT classes this summer

Cathy Wenderoth works for the Seattle Police Department as the Seattle OEM’s Volunteer Coordinator. She is now organizing Seattle’s first CERT classes.

New Courses for FEMA Independent Study Program (ISP)

FEMA offers a great set of coursework you can take over the Internet. Now they’ve announced some new courses:

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) offers self-paced courses designed for people who have emergency management responsibilities and the general public. All are offered free-of-charge to those who qualify for enrollment. To get a complete listing of courses, click on Course List link above.

Hands on Diversity

Forward, from an email to SKCOAD partners:

I wanted to pass along a free training opportunity that we received notice about from the Snohomish COAD.  “Hands on Diversity” is a series of cultural workshops being offered at the Everett Performing Arts Center, 2710 Wetmore Avenue in downtown Everett and are open to the public:

Sound Shake 2010

www.soundshake2010.com is the spot if find everything out about “Sound Shake 2010, a Regional Catastrophic Earthquake Exercise Series being designed and implemented by Washington State Region Six - Homeland Security to build and test response and recovery plans.”