In the Know: Who is first responder in an emergency?

Reprinted from the Nov. 7, 2005 Daily News

Q. We noticed signs around town informing emergency responders where to report. We also heard a lot about emergency responders and first responders during the Hurricane Katrina coverage. Who are these people? — Melinda Gunther, Naples

A. The term "first responders" covers people such as police officers, sheriff's deputies, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, said Jaime Sarbaugh, public information coordinator for Collier County's Bureau of Emergency Services.

"Emergency responders" generally include the folks in the first responders group, as well as emergency management personnel, Sarbaugh said.

Exactly who is an emergency responder really depends on the emergency.

There are other people who provide emergency support functions, and they include workers with utilities, the health department, transportation agencies and environmental agencies.

Citizens who want to be trained to help out in an emergency have several options.

One is American Red Cross disaster training.

The Red Cross interviews its potential volunteers to find duties best suited for them, said Jerry Welty, emergency services director for the Collier County American Red Cross.

All disaster volunteers take a one-day class called Introduction to Disaster Services, Welty said.

From there, volunteers can get specialized training in one- or two-day classes in several areas:

** Mass care and sheltering.

** Family services (for helping families on an individual basis after a disaster).

** Disaster assessment (for conducting a street-by-street assessment to give the Red Cross an idea of what a community's needs are).

** There are other classes for professionals such as nurses and mental health counselors, Welty said.

Additionally, those who want to train to help in out-of-town disasters need special training.

The Red Cross also offers basic first aid classes. For information, call 596-6868.

Another way citizens can be prepared to help during a disaster is to join a Community Emergency Response Team, said Victor Hill, public information officer for the Golden Gate fire district.

The Golden Gate fire district has six CERT teams (including the Florida Alert Response Team — guys with swamp buggies and airboats) and several other fire districts in Collier County also have these teams, Hill said.

Golden Gate's six CERT teams were active during Hurricane Wilma, Hill said.

CERT members are trained in search-and-rescue operations and basic disaster preparedness in case a neighborhood is cut off from the authorities. The training takes 12 to 14 hours over several days, and is offered about four times a year, Hill said.

For those who don't want to take the course, there is training available online at www.training.fema.gov/emiweb/IS/is317.asp .