What do you do when a 7.2 magnitude quake tears through the heart of your community? That’s what more than 50 Los Gatos locals had to grapple with on Saturday, as authorities and volunteers gathered for a natural disaster drill.
The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department-organized Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training exercise unfolded from 10am-2pm at the Almond Grove Incident Command Post, located on Lyndon Avenue by the MINT gym and St. Mary’s Church.
It was part of an ongoing effort to educate the public on best practices to use in serious situations.
Organizers hope getting more people to participate in scenarios like the earthquake drill will make Los Gatans more resilient and capable of assisting family members, neighbors, and those most vulnerable, when the worst happens. People of all ages, including Boy Scout Troop 539 members took part this time. The oldest volunteer, age 86, handled onsite registration, check-in and sign-out.
The rain didn’t stop the dozens of CERTs and additional volunteers who attended the drill. It began with a test “AlertSCC” notification to all participating CERTs, which stated there’d been an earthquake rating 7.2 on the Richter scale which had caused significant damage. It directed participants to report into the Lyndon Avenue ICP.
Signs representing incidents like downed power lines and trees (a frequent hazard during recent winter storms), gas leaks, mass casualty, road closures, landslides, fires, serious injury, flooding, etc. were set up the evening before at businesses and residences throughout a square mile of downtown.
Three volunteer cyclists who arrived were assigned to ride around assigned areas and report over radio airwaves on what they found. Others set up registration, communications, hospitality, medical treatment and operations areas, as we began to assess the scale of the “damage.” To supplement the local ICP, the Town’s CERT trailer—which is fully equipped with emergency supplies—was brought in.
When reports came in from the cyclists, field teams were dispatched to further investigate the scenarios and report back on their radios. This allowed organizers to test new forms and processes, and to practice triage. The most serious incidents were communicated via ham radio to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). It was manned by trained operators who received the incident information. In a real emergency they would provide the information directly to the EOC staff, so they could allocate needed resources to a reported incident.
The Lions Club brought their equipment and organized a barbecue. Los Gatos Meats and Smokehouse donated the meat, and the Lions Club dished up a tasty barbecue to end the exercise.
St. Mary’s helped provide chairs, trash cans and restrooms. It was a community effort working together to prepare for this event. Guiding principles included personal safety first, the buddy system, teamwork, and seeking the greatest good for the greatest number in the shortest amount of time.
There are CERT programs all over the country. In Santa Clara County, volunteers can attend a nine-week course put on by the fire department. CERTs also work with registered volunteers in times of disasters and emergencies.
The drills also help locals be ready to work alongside first responders effectively during emergencies and natural disasters. Local officials remind people to stock their own homes with water, food and grab bags, in case they’re required to survive without outside resources for a few days.
The next CERT Academy will be a Zoom and in-person hybrid training, June through August, with an in-person academy to be held in September.
Los Gatos-Monte Sereno CERT officials say they’re thankful to everyone who participated in the earthquake drill.
For information visit losgatosca.gov/128/CERT.
