2021 TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

All sessions are held on the third Thursdays at 10:00am, usually lasting until around noon. Until further notice (or as indicated below) all will be conducted via Zoom, and advance registration is required separately for each. Simply click the title to be taken to its sign-up page. 

Thu 1/14/21	COVID Update/Medical OPS I
Thu 2/11/21	Medical OPS II
Thu 3/11/21	Disaster Psychology
Thu 4/8/21	Disaster Preparedness
Thu 5/13/21	Electrical Safety/PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff)
Thu 6/1021	Ready-Set-Go
Thu 7/8/21	Radio Use/Call-Out Procedures
Thu 8/12/21	CERT Terrorism (In-Person Training at Fire Dept)
Thu 9/9/21	Fire Safety & Utility Controls
Thu 10/21/21	Great California Shakeout exercise (not via Zoom)
Thu 11/11/21	Light Search & Rescue (Canceled)
Thu 12/9/21	Annual Membership Meeting (TBD)

OVERALL TRAINING PLAN

MERRAG trains it volunteers and community members according to the national Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program's 6-module syllabus, augmented with additional modules customized for the Montecito neighborhood.

Get acquainted with CERT online! - Click here for info

Here is a sample of the kinds of trainings offered, mixed and matched over multiple years. They do not generally occur in the sequence shown, and the plan has been modified to address Covid safety.

• Module 1 – Disaster Preparedness
• Module 2 – Disaster Fire Suppression
• Module 3 – Disaster Medical Operations part 1
• Module 4 – Disaster Medical Operations part 2
• Module 5 – Light Search & Rescue Operations
• Module 6 – Disaster Psychology and Team Organization
• Special Module – Terrorism and CERT
• Special Module – Wildland Fire in the Urban Interface
• Special Module – Radio Use/Call-Out Procedures
• Special Module – Fire Safety & Utility Controls
• Special Module – Electrical Safety/PSPS
• Special Module – Ready-Set-Go
• Special Module – Winter Weather Preparedness
• Special Module – Great California Shakeout exercise

ORIENTATION

Available at all monthly meetings

• Brief history of MERRAG organization
• Importance and use of local communications (radios, phone tree)
• Hands-on exercises (except during Covid restrictions)
• Involvement in monthly meetings/training
• Participation in community emergencies

CPR/FIRST AID

Dates vary

• Personal preparation for disasters
• First Aid & CPR
• Fire Suppression Techniques
• Supplemental experience with MERRAG radio and pagers
• Introduction to outside services (Red Cross, OES, and CERT)

ADVANCED EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Dates vary

• MERRAG Activation Procedures
• Radio usage
• Nationally used emergency management concepts, including coordination of facilities, equipment, personnel, procedures and communications
• To prepare MERRAG members to assist Fire Department and local officials in emergencies (operations, planning, logistics, administration)
• ICS - Incident Command System
• NIMS - National Emergency Management System

COMMUNICATION VAN ORIENTATION

Available at all monthly meetings (except during Covid restrictions)

Qualfied volunteers will learn how to operate the Communication Van including:

• Location of keys
• Generator usage
• Supply Locations