EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

Introduction

The Alameda County Fire Department offers a variety of trainings to provide community members with the tools and resources to become better prepared and self-sufficient during a large scale emergency or disaster.

Whether you are able to spend two hours or 20 hours becoming better prepared for the next emergency, we encourage you to review the descriptions of our emergency preparedness trainings and participate in the program that best suits your needs.

To schedule any of the workshops or trainings below for your group or organization, please contact Emergency Preparedness at (925) 833-3473 ext. 1721 or (510) 632-3473 ext. 1721, or by email at cert@acgov.org.

Please visit our emergency preparedness sign-up page to find out more information about upcoming emergency preparedness trainings and workshops and/or to register.

To join an interest list for a class not listed on the sign-up page above, please complete this form.

Fire extinguishers should ideally never be used by someone without any training. A person must be properly trained to use firefighting equipment. The reason for this is because it is important to know which type to use for the fire – and decide if the fire is one that can effectively be fought with a fire extinguisher.

 If the wrong type of extinguisher is used, this could lead to life-threatening consequences.

  • Know what kind of fire it is (understanding fire classification)
  • Get the right type of fire extinguisher for the fire
  • How to maintain your Fire Extinguisher
  • The PASS Method for using a fire extinguisher (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep)
  • When to stop fighting the fire and evacuate the fire scene

This training is approximately 60 minutes in length.

Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP) Workshop

Families or loved ones may not be together in an emergency, so it is important to plan in advance. Attend this highly interactive, two-hour workshop to learn how to be better prepared as an individual or family. Topics will include what to do before, during and after an earthquake. Discussions will be on how to make a family plan, build an emergency kit and what items should be included and the proper way to store it. The workshop will also teach basic prevention or mitigation strategies that you can do in your home to protect your family and valuables.

To schedule a Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP) workshop for your group, ranging in length from an hour to an hour and a half, please contact Emergency Preparedness at (925) 833-3473 ext. 1721 or (510) 632-3473 ext. 1721 or via email at cert@acgov.org.

Disasters are major events that can strike anywhere and at any time. In a disaster, traditional “911” and First Responder capabilities such as fire, police, paramedics, and utility personnel will be overwhelmed and unable to immediately assist individuals. Professional emergency response may be delayed for hours, even days. Of necessity, it is important for the community to assist first responders in their neighborhood. Preparing individuals and residents is vital in community preparedness and resiliency. Neighbors that are prepared are more effective in their response to a disaster and have increased capacity to be self-sufficient for the first 72 hours after a disaster. ACFDCERTOverview.pdf (PDF – 209 kb)

 

  1. What is CERT?The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began promoting nationwide use of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) concept in 1994 from the model created by the Los Angeles City Fire Department. Since then, CERT programs have been established in hundreds of communities nationwide. The purpose of CERT is to train people living in Alameda County to take care of themselves, their families and their neighbors in the event of a disaster.
  2. Why Do We Need CERT?After several large scale disasters such as 9/11, the Oakland Hills Fire and the Loma Prieta earthquake, there was a realization that not all emergency services personnel will be able to reach everyone right away. By attending CERT training classes, you will learn the skills to help save lives and protect property. As a CERT team member, you can participate in disaster drills and exercises and help your community that you live in by volunteering.
  3. Who teaches CERT?CERT members are taught by Alameda County Fire Department personnel and its Reserves. CERT members are taught basic fire suppression, utility control, light search and rescue, triage and shock treatment. Other topics include putting together your own disaster kit, disaster psychology and disaster incident management. The training involves attending all six evening sessions for a total of ~20 hours. The training format is lectures, interactive skills based training and it concludes with a hands-on exercise to practice the skills that were just learned.
  4. Who can be a CERT member? Anyone who is at least 18 years of age or older can participate. CERT is ideal for organized community groups such as Neighborhood Watch, homeowner’s associations, community based organizations, civic or advocacy groups, condominium owners and dense urban housing complex residents.

To find out more information about how you or your group can sign up for an upcoming CERT training, please contact Emergency Preparedness at (925) 833-3473 ext. 1721 or (510) 632-3473 ext. 1721 or via email at cert@acgov.org .

Fire weather can occur in any season but peaks during late-summer and fall when drier air and dry fuels (fallen leaves and dormant trees) are commonplace.

When a FIRE WEATHER WATCH is issued, critical fire weather conditions are possible. Those conditions include warm temperatures, low humidity, dry fuels and strong, gusty winds. The public is urged to “be prepared” when this type of alert is in effect.

 

When a RED FLAG WARNING is in effect, those critical fire weather conditions defined above are happening or are about to happen. ACFD personnel will hoist the Fire Weather flag under the United States flag for the full duration of a Red Flag Warning condition.

The purpose of flying the red flags is to remind the public that hazardous fire conditions are present and to refrain from activities and behaviors that may inadvertently initiate vegetation fires.

The public is urged to TAKE ACTION when a red flag warning is active. You should avoid burning, be careful around open flames and safely dispose of cigarettes. You should also pay attention to official announcements and be ready to leave in the event of an evacuation.

 

How and Where to Receive Information

When emergencies strike, public safety officials use timely and reliable systems to alert you. This page describes different warning alerts you can get and how to get them.

To Receive Emergency Alerts for Alameda County – AC ALERT

To Know Your Zone & Be Prepared for Evacuation – GENASYS

To hear about emergencies occurring in your community – PULSEPOINT RESPOND

    • Download PulsePoint Respond in Apple or Google App Store

Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches

    • Alerts can be received through Emergencies | Alameda County
    • OR, if you see a red flag flying at your local fire station, there is a Red Flag Warning in effect.

Emergency Advisory Radio Station

    • Tune in to 1610AM

To Receive Alerts from Your Local Agency – NIXLE

    • Text your zip code to 888777

To Receive Earthquake Early Warnings – CalOES

Sign Up For PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoff Alerts – PG&E

Documents