New CAPR 60-3 effective 17 Aug 09

[Short Field]

The new CAPR 60-3 is now out.  It is in the Pubs and Regs section of eServices.  Changes were also made to eServices Ops Quals to reflect some of the changes.   

After a quick read of the reg, I was impressed.  It makes the SQTR in Ops Quals the source for qualificatins and required tasks.  The task guides are identified as supportng materials.  60-3 also identified a lot of new operational achievements that will be availiable later as training requriements and materials are finalized.

The attachments that provided equailent sortie credit and who could supervise trainees are gone.   

[Airrace]

Thanks for the information.

[Chief2009]

Why is CERT now a specialty? Is is supposed to be a small unit for DR, like a UDF team is a smaller GT?

I had this training a while ago and for those who don't know it's mainly used for shutting off gas, checking structures for injured people. At least that's what the bulk of my training was for.

DN

[Short Field]

Just found the new location for the Sortie Equivalency and Qualified Supervisors tables.

Go to http://www.capmembers.com then click Emergency Services, then click Operations Support, then click Education and Training.  They are listed with other training materials on the left side of the screen.

[Thom]

Why is CERT now a specialty? Is is supposed to be a small unit for DR, like a UDF team is a smaller GT?

I had this training a while ago and for those who don't know it's mainly used for shutting off gas, checking structures for injured people. At least that's what the bulk of my training was for.

DN

CERT Training varies WILDLY around the country.  Some places get the minimal training to go door to door and make sure people are safe after a disaster, others get training on confined space rescue and proper cribbing of collapsed structures!

I'm not at all sure what having it as a Specialty in ES is supposed to do, other than document that you are trained in CERT by your local organization.  Does anyone know why they added it?

Thom Hamilton

[Short Field]

Probably just to document you are trained in CERT by your local organization.

Documenting additional qualifications in eServices is a good thing.  It allows the IC to quickly identify who is qualified for a specific function by running a report in eServices.  This results in the IC knowing whom to contact for additional support on a mission if needed.  Day Four on a mission can get awfully lonely at mission base.   

What will be really interesting is to see the new SQTRS and task guides for the new Ops Quals.  It will be really nice to have a qualified Situation Unit Leader, Resource Unit Leader, and a Cost Unit Leader supporting a operation instead just a generic Mission Staff Assistant.

[ricks]

Where is the NHQ CAP/DOS website?

[Short Field]

Go to http://www.capmembers.com then click Emergency Services

[RiverAux]

It appears that they've loosened up the medical care requirements a bit:

Old 60-3:

f. First Aid and Emergency Medical Care. CAP is not an emergency medical care or paramedic organization and should not advertise itself as such. CAP will not be the primary provider of medical support on missions or training events though qualified personnel can be used to support such activities. The only type of medical aid that should be administered by CAP personnel or by any other person at CAP's request is reasonable first aid deemed necessary to save a life or prevent human suffering and executed by a person qualified to attempt such medical care within their skill level.

New 60-3:

f. First Aid and Emergency Medical Care. CAP is not an emergency medical care or paramedic organization and should not advertise itself as such. CAP will not be the primary provider of medical support on missions or training events though qualified personnel can be used to support such activities. The only type of medical aid that should be administered by CAP personnel or by any other person at CAP's request is reasonable treatment deemed necessary to save a life or prevent human suffering. This treatment must be executed by a person qualified to attempt such medical care within their skill level. When first aid or higher medical training is required for qualification in a particular specialty, the expectation is that the qualification course includes both knowledge and practical skills training; first aid courses taken on-line only are not acceptable; though members are not considered employees when supporting operations, courses are expected to meet the National Guidelines for First Aid in Occupational Settings available at http://www.ngfatos.net/ or ASTM F 2171-02, Standard Guide for Defining the Performance of First Aid Providers in Occupational Settings. CAP medical personnel are not provided supplemental malpractice insurance coverage, and any care provided is at the members own risk. Though medical supplies and equipment are not normally provided to responders, any reasonable supplies used on training or actual missions may be submitted for reimbursement as long as sufficient justification is provided.

So, rather than implying that they really only wanted us administering typical "first aid", they have even more expressely allowed for more to be done, but only at the members own risk. 

[PHall]

It appears that they've loosened up the medical care requirements a bit:

Old 60-3:

f. First Aid and Emergency Medical Care. CAP is not an emergency medical care or paramedic organization and should not advertise itself as such. CAP will not be the primary provider of medical support on missions or training events though qualified personnel can be used to support such activities. The only type of medical aid that should be administered by CAP personnel or by any other person at CAP's request is reasonable first aid deemed necessary to save a life or prevent human suffering and executed by a person qualified to attempt such medical care within their skill level.

New 60-3:

f. First Aid and Emergency Medical Care. CAP is not an emergency medical care or paramedic organization and should not advertise itself as such. CAP will not be the primary provider of medical support on missions or training events though qualified personnel can be used to support such activities. The only type of medical aid that should be administered by CAP personnel or by any other person at CAP's request is reasonable treatment deemed necessary to save a life or prevent human suffering. This treatment must be executed by a person qualified to attempt such medical care within their skill level. When first aid or higher medical training is required for qualification in a particular specialty, the expectation is that the qualification course includes both knowledge and practical skills training; first aid courses taken on-line only are not acceptable; though members are not considered employees when supporting operations, courses are expected to meet the National Guidelines for First Aid in Occupational Settings available at http://www.ngfatos.net/ or ASTM F 2171-02, Standard Guide for Defining the Performance of First Aid Providers in Occupational Settings. CAP medical personnel are not provided supplemental malpractice insurance coverage, and any care provided is at the members own risk. Though medical supplies and equipment are not normally provided to responders, any reasonable supplies used on training or actual missions may be submitted for reimbursement as long as sufficient justification is provided.

So, rather than implying that they really only wanted us administering typical "first aid", they have even more expressely allowed for more to be done, but only at the members own risk.

I don't read that as "loosened up". I read that as clarified to close up some loop holes that people were taking advantage of.

[Short Field]

^^^ I agree.  There were several other areas in the new reg that seems to clean up past "confusion".

[lordmonar]

It is possible that we are answering the call from some of our customers about how we can help in an emergency.

CERT is just the sort of thing FEMA and DHS wanted from us to help out after Katrina and all those floods.

[RiverAux]

I meant loosened up in regards to clarifying that we can provide treatment more advanced than first aid, but you're right about the rest being mostly clarification and loophole closing.

[ande.boyer]

Has anyone found "Detailed guidance for the use and retention of CAP and ICS forms and other mission documentation is available on the NHQ CAP/DOS website." referenced in para 1-21?

I would love to see, from a definitive source, what forms are required to be filled out for a mission.

-ande

[IceNine]

It is possible that we are answering the call from some of our customers about how we can help in an emergency.

CERT is just the sort of thing FEMA and DHS wanted from us to help out after Katrina and all those floods.

It is much easier to avoid lengthy discussions about our qualifications if we are using other accredited methods.

Having CERT, NASAR, Red Cross, etc will not hurt our cause for sure, and in some cases its just easier to walk in with the certification the agency wants to hear than it is to attempt to explain how we meet the requirements but don't have the documents to prove it.

[RiverAux]

Nothing wrong with the CERT qualification, but we need some CAP-specific guidance in 60-3 about how exactly CAP is going to use them.   For example, CERT teams receive some basic SAR training.  For example, can someone with a CERT qual do SAR without also having some GT training? 

[MikeD]

Does anyone have any more information on the CERT qual?  If not, any good rumors/speculation? 

Same for the water survival course, what are the requirements?  I took the refresher training (classroom and pool) for aircrew on test missions through the Air Force Flight Test Center/Edwards AFB about a year and a half ago, and it's considered current for a total of 5 years.

[heliodoc]

Mike

Surf the CERT website.  CERT has quite a fairly good Train the Trainer program for instructors and a fairly good overall program.  I used to oversee some of their operations when I was a EMA type ensuring the DHS money and Citizen Corps pass through money came down from the Feds to the State.  Some of their training, LIKE CAP's, varies, and that comes with any volunteer org.  The POI and training is fairly organized, but again how people perceive and apply may make into the instructor ranks.

Your AFFTC Water Survival would probably EXCEED anything CAP has to offer.  Unless Flying Pig or some others have answers.  I just spent 5 hours last week putting together a Risk Matrix chart and plan together for rappel ops coming up for our squadron.  Because CAP DOES NOT have a Template for many operations, I made one based on ROTC and Ft Bragg POI's.  I also ensured that Army TM's, FM's, and rappel TC's were documented.

Also remember, CAP members may ask for some "FREE" training from the AF sometime.  Make sure you become that project officer and document it.  I already have the feeling my training matrix is headed for the Wing and they will copy and author it as their own.  I have already made it known to my Sqdn members, that when the Wing asks, credit be given due where it originated because CAP has no real training plans, other than, "qual'd rappel instructors (rappel masters) on DoD locations"  That indicates to me, no real training plan!!

Hope this is not too long wided but there is .02

[ZigZag911]

My information is that CERT was added to 101 for documentation of training as well as ease of asset identification.

[MikeD]

helidoc, ZigZag,

Thanks for the answer, but the big mystery seems to be the ConOps.  It talked about a min size of 3 for a team, but didn't say anything about the mission.  It'll be interesting to see where they take it (I hope)...

[RiverAux]

I'm disappointed that they still haven't specifically defined what they mean by "urban search and rescue" when describing activities that can only take place with NHQ permission.  I ASSume they're talking about crawling around in collapsed buildings, but one could easily interpret that to include lost person SAR inside a city. 

[Tubacap]

Urban Search and Rescue (USaR) is a specific type of SAR which you did elude to you in your post.  Usually it's a "Task Force 1" in whatever state that you are in that does this type of work.

[PHall]

USAR is a very specialized type of Search and Rescue that CAP is neither trained or equipped to do.
About the only USAR tasks CAP could provide assistance with is to provide aerial pictiures and maybe help with crowd control.
This is what CAP did after the Northridge Earthquake.

[ricks]

I think that communications is a good avenue for USAR. At least I imagine it would be. One of the most dangerous things I saw in the army was urban combat. The number one reason it was so dangerous was that our comms degraded significantly in urban settings. It would be a good benefit to have a CAP airframe acting as eyes and ears for the ground search teams. I don't know how it would work when crawling under buildings. I luckly never had that experience.
So Airborne Photography and Communications.

[RADIOMAN015]

Regarding CERT training, remember it means "Community Emergency Response Team".  So there is an organization in each community, or in some instances it might be even county wide, or could even be a combination of just a few small communities.  See this for more information:
http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/

The communities determine what these teams will be used for & than the appropriate training is given.  Would seem to me that if CAP members have an interest in CERT than they would join the local team in their community & get the training, rather than this being a CAP member performing this CERT mission.   Especially if there's only a very small group of CAP members that have an interest in this.

Also from a command & control perspective, can CAP in any community really generate enough members to respond after a natural disaster to be a separate team     Generally as far as community team size it can be around 25 to 60 people or so.  IF there's only 3 CAP members that respond than what separate segment of the mission can 3 people do?

Interestingly in one of our rural counties in our response area, most of the team members got their amateur radio license (technical class level) and the team got a grant to buy 30+ Yaesu FT60R portables, so that emergency comms are using amateur radio frequencies (local club repeaters as well as simplex).  So IF you are a CAP member (or group of members), joining this team, there would be an expectation that you would be able to operate on amateur radio frequencies.   HOWEVER, current CAP rules state that CAP members can't use amateur radio frequencies when signed in on CAP missions .   
RM
               

[MichaelAGates]

I added my CERT - Community Emergency Response Team and National Inland SAR Planning Course information into eservices. After both were listed as Active Status, I noticed that only CERT is showing up on the 101 Card right now. So, if anyone else has seen this, you might not be alone. I am also wondering if having them on the card will ever mean anything. I know they are still relatively new items for CAP qualifications, but one must wonder where this will all go.

[Short Field]

Having it entered in the Ops Quals section allows people to run reports to find out who in their unit(s) have the required training.   

I was very surprised to find two senior people in our Wing had completed the Inland SAR Planning Course.  They have hide having any knowledge of SAR Plannning extremely well.   

[wuzafuzz]

Also from a command & control perspective, can CAP in any community really generate enough members to respond after a natural disaster to be a separate team

In some cases yes.  Last year we fielded a few hundred CAP members (fuzzy on the numbers, but it was a lot) after a tornado tore through a local town.  We pulled them from all over the state, so treating a Wing as one team might make sense.  YMMV.

So IF you are a CAP member (or group of members), joining this team, there would be an expectation that you would be able to operate on amateur radio frequencies.   HOWEVER, current CAP rules state that CAP members can't use amateur radio frequencies when signed in on CAP missions .   
RM           

Definitely a consideration if joining existing CERT's.  If CAP chooses to field a CAP specific CERT assumption would be to use CAP communications resources and liaise with other teams as needed.

Not sure how this would fit in the overall scheme of things.  It might have served us well last year.  CERT training might ensure our folks are properly trained for said missions as opposed to simply calling all ES qualified folks.  Good from an ORM perspective IMHO.  Having said that, when we were called we responded and did a good job, even without CERT training.

[MichaelAGates]

CERT Classroom Courses

All have students courses and Instructor Courses.

Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)
www.citizencorps.gov/cert

Campus Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT)
http://www.c-cert.msu.edu/

Teen CERT
http://teencert.org/


CERT Online Courses

Search and Rescue Tutorial
http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/SandR/default.htm

"Introduction to Community Emergency Response Teams", IS-317
http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/IS317/

[wuzafuzz]

The test for IS-317 is almost ridiculously easy after working through the course material.

[Short Field]

The test for IS-317 is almost ridiculously easy after working through the course material.

Fits right in with most CAP tests.    

[SARDOC]

Urban Search and Rescue (USaR) is a specific type of SAR which you did elude to you in your post.  Usually it's a "Task Force 1" in whatever state that you are in that does this type of work.

Not All States Have a FEMA USAR Task Force and Some States have 2 or More....So you may have a Task Force 2 or 3...etc..

USAR is a specialized Highly Technical kind of rescue done by Primarily Fire Department associated FEMA teams...Usually involving Collapsed Structures (ie. World Trade Center, Murrah Federal Building as well as large are searchs like Gulfport MS after Katrina)