Date: Oct 14, 2025

Check-in/Role Assignments: 7:45 AM | Exercise Start: 9:00 AM | Exercise End/Debrief: 3:00 PM | Release: 4:00 PM

Location: Marin Center (Exact location will be sent to confirmed participants)

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

This is a training exercise designed to test Marin County’s ability to operate two critical resources used during disasters: – A Family Reunification Center (FRC) to support those seeking missing loved ones or that have immediate needs – A Family Assistance Center (FAC) to support those impacted by injury or death after a major event

No acting experience needed! You will receive a brief character card and instructions when you check in. You may be asked to play the role of someone looking for a loved one, a survivor needing help, or a concerned friend or neighbor. This is a safe, inclusive, and supportive training event.

We need your help to make this as realistic and valuable as possible.

Email info@readymarin.org by September 30th if you would like to participate.

Thank you!

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Central Marin CERT members Gerd Goette, Skip Fedanzo, Ann Shores and Stu Tanenberg reviewed the basics of the system, then divided the group into three Command Teams. Each group assumed the required ICS leadership roles and practiced responding to a virtual Earthquake in their neighborhood by sending out virtual CERT teams to assist neighbors in simulated scenarios. Team members practiced radio protocols to communicate back to the Incident Command.

Participants provided helpful feedback on the exercise with a resounding thanks to the instructors for a helpful and successful event.

To learn more about the CERT program, visit www.readymarin.org/cert/.

The post CERT ICS Leadership Exercise appeared first on Ready Marin.

The drill was a simulated earthquake with both structural damage and injuries. A radio call at noon, requesting Search and Rescue team support in Dillon Beach at 3pm, was sent to the Tomales Marin County Fire Department and the Tomales CERT team. A total of 19 CERT members participated in the drill.

The Command Post

The three CERT teams, utilizing the Incident Command Systems (ICS, gather at the command post at 3pm. DBERT has organized a group of neighborhood supply sheds through the neighborhoods to improve the readiness of their community. The IC was smartly set up near two emergency sheds for easy access to supplies. As a result of this planning, the command post had a HAM radio operator, logistics person in charge of shed supplies, a medical operations lead, and three four-person Search and Rescue teams.

Communications between the command post and SAR teams was conducted through HAM, GMRS and FRS radios. Great planning and a perfect opportunity to practice these skills. The CERT teams appreciated that Senior Captain Tom Nunes and Marin County Fire Department stopped by to assess the drill.

Deployment

DBERT had pre-positioned nine volunteer victims at three different locations in Dillon Beach. The three SAR teams were dispatched to the specific addresses to treat and rescue the victims.

At one location, there were two teenagers with various serious injuries. Another house had a mother and two small children and they spoke only Spanish. The last house had a disorientated mother and 3 small kids to treat. Their assignment was to assess each structure for safety and stability, and seek out and triage the victims.

Every victim had injury makeup (called moulage) applied for a realistic, bloodied appearance. This detail made the scenarios more realistic for the SAR teams.

DBERT also mobilized its patient transport utility vehicle for the first time to rescue victims and return them to the medical treatment area at the command post.

The drill was a great experience, challenged everyone’s skills, and procedural knowledge. The consensus of all was that there should be more CERT groups from different neighborhoods training together.

Follow DBERT on Facebook at facebook.com/DillonBeachEmergencyResponseTeam

The post Dillon Beach Multi-City CERT Disaster Simulation appeared first on Ready Marin.

Battalion Chief Michael St. John, from the Mill Valley Fire Department, put out a call to CERT graduates to volunteer as victims in the drill. This was a great opportunity to participate in a simulation with the professional first responders. There were two simulations, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. 10-12 CERTs were placed in the bus, which was on its side. The SMART train had 25 victims, all of whom were volunteer SMART employees. The challenge for the first responders were to manage the large amount of patients, and learn how to access the train and turn it off.

Photos below are of the CERT bus simulation but KPIX 5 did a story on the drill with footage within the SMART train at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMvi9p0pcH4.

When we arrived at McGinnis park, we found a bus on its side and the train nearby on the tracks. Battalion Chief St. John is standing by the bus.

Our first stop was the moulage area, which is applying make-up to simulate injuries. Each victim was given a card explaining our injuries and how to act. The card went into our pockets as the responders needed to assess us by asking questions and observations.

Next step was an overview of the simulation and our roles with our Safety Officer.

A bus on its side is disorienting! The mannequin on the floor is part of the simulation. One of the CERTs will be performing CPR on it when the first responders arrive.

We climbed in. Some of the windows were broken so it was a bit treacherous. There were sharp edges to avoid. We figured out where to position ourselves. As always, safety was the priority. Our safety officer kept an eye on us and let us know when the simulation began.

There was a variety of injuries and we took photos before the simulation began!

The simulation begins! We start moaning, yelling out and some screaming. While it was all fake, it is still an unnerving experience. The firefighters walked one victim out of the bus but the rest were put on backboards and sent out the skylight. It took about 20 minutes to evacuate the whole bus.

Each victim was then taken to a medical treatment area for triage.

Once out of the bus, we could see the response to the event was huge.

The response on the train first involved how to get into the train!

After triage, many were put in ambulances and driven around the parking lot. Some with immediate status were taken to the nearby airport. Helicopters flew in for simulated transport. You can see a short video of the helicopters on Twitter here.

This was a great opportunity for CERTs to experience a full scale simulation, Incident Command, briefings, security officer roles, triage, etc.

The post CERTs Participate in SMART Train Disaster Simulation appeared first on Ready Marin.