Red Cross Advanced Emergency Response First Aid Class ("E.R .Class")

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Emergency Response Advanced First Aid Class

("ER Class)("CERT 3")

Torrance, November 2006

Please bookmark this page

http://freewebs.com/ERclass

(For upcoming classes see below)

This is the personal website of Dr. Cliff Cheng, T3.  This page was started as both an instructional resource for his classmates and instructors, and as reference for his own classes and alumni.  Dr. Cheng wishes to encourage CERTs to seek more training, especially more medical training such as CERT 3.  In a major disaster we can not count on the paramedics to come, or even that our phones, cellphones and internet will work to summon help.  We have to develop at the neighborhood level the capability to do advanced first aid. 

The content on this page should not be construed to be official position of the Red Cross, its instructors, the LA (City) Fire Department, the CERT or the Neighborhood Preparedness Ambassador programs, or Dr. Cheng.  Keep in mind these are academic notes.  Medical and legal advice is not being dispensed here.  No warranty is made that the information in these notes are fit for use.  Any application of these notes, visitors to this site should choose to make is done at their own risk. 

The course was advertised via Linda Underwood's CERT-LA email list.  That notice said this would be an 8 session, 58hrs. plus possible additional sessions.   The course finished having 12 sessions over approximately 90 hours.  

The 2006 class did not have a syllabus, therefore none can be published on this site.   Please avoid assuming the outlines published on this website were verbatim notes of what was covered in class. The chapters in the textbook were not covered in class in the detail suggested by the posted notes and outlines. We were told we were "responsible for the whole (text) book" and workbook and expected to learn on their own.   The workbook contained instruction on skills practice. 

Our class, even exam day, always started with newspapers clipping about first aid that we were required to bring in as a show and tell.  During show and tell, Sam Clark, the senior instructor, would comment and cover relevant concepts. 

Class 8, Dec. 9, 2006, was an auto extrication workshop in a tow yard.  The class focused on what a first responder’s duties are in such situations are rather than what firefighters do.  We did not deal with access problems.   We did not have nor did we learn about using the Hurst tool (jaws of life). The extrications we did were simple extrications - with the car doors which opened.  Our assignment was to immobilize the spine and neck, backboard the victim and remove her/him from the vehicle without further spinal injury. In the classroom we practiced in the morning.  In the afternoon we moved to the tow yard.  The faculty, Larry Savoy and Tony Serra, demonstrated how they do auto extrication.  Then we did two extrications.  The first was lead by Cathy Beasely, the second by Horrace "Coach" Penman.  We ended the day with a critique back at the Red Cross.   Unfortunately the classmate who took pictures has not made them available for posting. 

Class 10, Dec. 16, 2006, was an optional skills review workshop generously conduct by Instructor Larry Savoy.  We covered blood pressure, bandaging and splinting, spinal immobilization and backboarding in auto extrication situations. 

Class 11, Jan. 4, 2007, was a review of the material in the textbook. 

Class 12, Jan. 6, 2007, was the final written exam, 100 multiple choice questions, followed by an individual skills test on blood pressure and then 4 scenarios in which advanced first aid was practiced as a team.  

Disclaimer:  The material on this website are academic notes.  They are not and should not be taken as medical or legal advice.   Anyone choosing to apply these notes to a particular situation does so at their own risk.  No warranty or fitness of use claim is made. 

Please Visit Dr. Cheng's Main

Neighborhood Preparedness Ambassador (& CERT) Website

http://CERTsponsor.s5.com

The Emergency Response

Class of 2006

All 7 class members are CERTs.  All have some association with LA Fire Dept. CERT even if they do not live in LA City.  Three biographical notes are listed below: Cliff Cheng, Annie McClure and Christal Smith.   Not listed are: Cathy Beasely, Terrilynn Fitz, Horrace "Coach" Penman and Steve Robins. 

Terrilyn Fitz deserves praise!  The day after class was over, Jan. 8, 2006, she was on CERT call out, due to a  Red Flag Warning - high fire danger due to dry hot Santa Ana winds.  Terrilynn and her partner came across a two vehicle accident while on fire watch.  They called for more help.  Terrilyn took the car with the 4 occupants, while her partner took the one with two people.   In the car she took, the air bags had deployed.  There was a 7 month pregnant woman who had not worn her seat belt.  Her pulse was 64 with respirations of over 32.  The driver and the two daughters appeared to be ok after Terrilynn examined them.  Terrilynn calmed them down and reduced shock by giving them breathing exercises until the paramedics came. 

 (in alphabetical order)

Cliff Cheng, Ph.D., KI6CM, CERT 2, T3

Dr. Cheng's start in disaster preparedness began in grade school when he was in the Los Angeles (City) Fire Department's (LAFD) Junior Fire Department program.  There he learned about fire prevention. He learned how to mitigate household fire hazards and created an escape plan.  He then went on to join the Southern California Automobile Club's (AAA) School Safety Patrol where he helped his fellow students learn about safety.  Scouting was also an inflence in learning about preparedness.

In junior high school, Dr. Cheng earned his amateur radio license in 1975 and has been a happy ham since www.TedRyan.bappy.com.  He was taught that it was a privilege and great responsibility to transmit over the public airwaves.  In exchange for these privileges, hams are to provide emergency communications.  To educate his neighbors about communication infrastructure failure after a major disaster and what their emergency communication options are, Dr. Cheng started the Neighborhood Emergency Radio Project (NERP) www.NERP.myEweb.net.  NERP educates people through its website, goes to emergency preparedness fairs to promote emergency communications,  conduct emergency communications trainings, gives amateur radio examinations and sponsors CERT trainings.   He is active in the San Fernando Valley Amateur Radio Club, W6SD, www.W6SD.com.  Dr. Cheng was an officer in the Quarter Century Wireless Association's Southern California Chapter7 www.freewebs.com/QCWA7.  He is a former Southwestern Division Assistant Director of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national organization of amateur radio. 

Dr. Cheng is very active in the Red Cross Community Disaster Educators (CDE) program.  He conducts free disaster preparedness classes for community groups.  He is also an active Red Cross CPR/1st instructor.  Please visit his instructional website www.DisasterPrep.livejournal.com which deal with topics on preparedness.  

As a Neighborhood Preparedness Ambassador trained by the Los Angeles (City) Departments of Emergency Preparedness (EPD) and Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE), Dr. Cheng volunteers his time to promote  disaster preparedness at the grassroots.  Each semester he sponsors the LAFD's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training.  He maintains an extensive website as Preparedness Ambassador, http://CERTsponsor.s5.com, which amongst other things promotes CERT, serves as an instructional resource and guides people after they graduate from CERT.  He also has an extensive CERT email list of his sponsorees, his students and those interested in preparedness which he keeps informed of training opportunities, lectures, events, preparedness fairs, sales on preparedness supplies.  Dr. Cheng is a CERT 2 and holds a T3 CERT trainer's certification.   He is starting to teach for the LA County Sheriff’s CERT in La Cresenta.  
 

Annie McClure

Well, Lets see, I became interested in CERT while attending the Tall Ships Review in San Pedro, at Ports O'Call.  They had a booth, so I signed up for  the class. That October or November, 2005',  I believe, is when my CERT class started.  By December class finished.  My first Refresher was that January 2006 in Lancaster.  I was so surprised at how many people were involved. Very impressive. I have been trying to achieve my Level 2 rockers ever since. I continued going to the Quarterly Meetings, when possible. I recently went to the Oct. 2006 Refresher in Sherman Oaks.  When the opportunity came to do the Level 3 right here in town, I Jumped.  Yahoo! Finally something I could attain in my own backyard, so to speak.  I have always been very interested in First-Aid etc... But I didn't feel I was getting the one-on-one training that I was desiring.  With this course, I believe I can achieve the level of training I have been looking for.  I live with my parents, both are in their 70's... and my Man-Nemo is going to be 70 this coming March.  I want to be able to help them in their time of need, without worrying.  This type of training will give me that extra confidence and peace of mind I am looking for.  And if it benefits me in another career choice, thats just another perk.   I am fortunate that I was able to sign up for the Level 2 course in Granada Hills on Nov. 19th.  So I have a lot on my plate, but I believe I can do this.  

Christal Smith 

I am a freelance journalist, working on various National Public Radio programs. Going on 11 years as an LA resident--and I plan to never leave! Pretty new to CERT and trying to use my media connections to get the word out to more people.

I have dual citizenship-Canadian and US-and I speak several languages--French, Spanish, Japanese and a little bit of Hindi. Currently studying Vietnamese. 

I am a newlywed but since my husband is in law school right now, I'm feeling more like a widow than a new bride. We have a cute fixer upper house so I am always looking for good contractors and craftspeople. Recommendations appreciated!  

See Photo page.

The links below are listed for informational purposes only. They are links to suppliers of emergency medical supplies, equipment and clothing.  No recommendation of these sites is made. 


Supplies and Equipment
http://www.firehouse.com

http://www.galls.com

http://www.allheart.com

http://www.actiongear.com

U.S. Centers for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov

World Health Organization
http://www.who.org